The Song Remains The Same
by flipperbabiesxx
Summary: Dean, Sam and their lifelong friend Savannah are working a job in New Orleans. But everything isn't as it seems. Have they taken on more than they can handle? As always, I suck at summaries! Reviews are always lovely! Rated T just to be safe.
1. Ten Years Gone

**Chapter 1: Ten Years Gone**

Savannah knows she's dreaming, but she can still feel her heart hammering against her chest. She fidgets in the passenger seat of her dad's pick up and looks at him. He's panting, the sweat and fear pouring out of him at an alarming rate. She watches his eyes drift toward the illuminated clock on the dash and then to her. He smiles half way and gives her a pat on the back that's anything but reassuring.

"It's alright now, princess. Don't you worry." He whispers as she pulls her jacket tighter around her. She's only 10 but she knows that something isn't right.

"Daddy, will you just tell me what's wrong already?" She sighs at him, but he just smiles and shakes his head.

"Nothing's wrong, sugar. We're just going to see Uncle John." He promises and she wonders what kind of monster could make her daddy so scared. John isn't her real uncle and she can't even remember the last time she saw the Winchesters. 8 months ago, at least.

"At 10 at night?" She questions him, watching as the lights reflect the gray streaks in his brown hair. Her daddy sighs and looks at her with the face he always makes before he tells her that she's too smart for her own good.

"Look Savannah, enough with the 3rd degree, alright?" He says and she can hear the exhaustion in his voice. He clears his throat before he flips open his phone.

"John? Yeah, we'll be there in 10. I just-" He steals another look at her. "Need a favor. Yeah, thanks." He throws his phone on the dash and glimpses at the clock again. 10:47 pm. Savannah settles herself in and her eyes rest on the scenery flying by the window. The head lights illuminate the darkness as they pass by the sign welcoming them to Hobbs, New Mexico. She forces back the thoughts about her birthday, knowing better than to expect anything. But it's not her daddy's fault and she knows that. He's out fighting monsters and saving the world. They pull into a driveway and up to a rundown double wide. Her daddy gives her a smile that she can tell is a little too forced.

"Come on now, Vannie. There isn't much time." And Savannah knows enough to know she doesn't like the sadness in his words. She's ushered inside and she smells the herbs and dust mixing together in her nostrils. John appears in the doorway and he looks different than she remembers. He's taller and more worn down from the last time she saw him.

"Hi Vannie. Dean and Sammy are in the back room." He greets her, jerking a thumb behind him. She throws them both an uneasy look before she heads back. Sammy is already asleep on the mattress, his left foot poking out from underneath the blanket. Dean's laid back beside him, his eyes focused on the TV that's playing Back to the Future II. She shushes him before he can say anything, pressing her ear to the door. She can make out some of the conversation they're having in the next room.

"Adam! You didn't think to pick up the phone sooner?!" She can hear John say angrily and she can tell that things are going from bad to worse.

"I didn't know what else to do! She's got no one else besides me, John!" Her father's voice is shaking now and she pushes back the instinct to rush to her daddy. She hears something about a soul and something called a hellhound before Dean is standing next to her.

"Hi Vannie. Long time, no see." He says and she does her best to smile.

"Dean, I think my dad's in trouble." She admits finally after a minute.

"What kind of trouble?" Dean asks, shooting a glance to his little brother and then to the gun propped up against the wall.

"I don't know but it's not good." She says as the door opens. Her daddy's blue eyes are fearful and his smile is trembling as he kneels down in front of her.

"Savannah Jean-" He starts and she knows now for sure that it can't be good. The only time she ever gets her full name is when things are about to get complicated. "You're gonna stay with John and the boys for a while, alright?" She nods.

"What are you hunting?" She asks innocently, knowing that it's him that's being hunted. He just smiles and pulls her into him. He smells like camp fires and that aftershave he's had since she was born.

"You remember what I taught you, alright? You keep that pretty little head up. I love you more than anything in the world, princess." His voice is shaky and Savannah can't help but let the tears fall. She pushes herself away from him harshly, hoping that he's not doing what she thinks he's doing.

"You're not coming back, are you?" She asks as he wipes away a tear that's tracing its way down her cheek. He doesn't answer and she knows that means yes. She flings herself onto him, clutching desperately to the last family she has left.

"Take me with you!" She begs, not bothering to cover the panic that's rising in her chest. He grips her tight by the shoulders and stares into her eyes.

"No, baby. You have to stay here. You can't come with me on this one." He says softly, planting a kiss on her forehead. He's crying now and Savannah doesn't even remember there are other people in the room, she can't tear her eyes away from her daddy's face.

"You can't leave me too, daddy. I'm all outta family." She tries to joke but it comes out more like a whimper. He smooth's back her black hair and slides a necklace into her hand. She doesn't have to look at it to know what it is. It's her Mom's wedding ring, and if she knows her daddy, it's got his too. He stands and heads for the door and she races after him, the panic bursting out of her.

"DADDY! No! PLEASE!" She tries to grab onto him but John scoops her up, not even flinching against her flailing limbs. Her daddy gives her one last look full of regret and love and steps out into the night. She watches from the window as he starts the truck and pulls out of the driveway and out of sight.


	2. South Bound Suarez

**Chapter 2: South Bound Suarez **

Savannah sat up so quickly that Dean jumped in his seat at the tiny table. She rubbed a hand over her face and hauled herself up from the lumpy motel bed. It was 11 in the morning and Dean was happily munching on what she assumed was a breakfast burrito of some sort, seeing as it that's all he'd been eating lately. That is, when he wasn't shoveling cheeseburgers into his face.

"You run into Freddy Kruger?" He asked as she added cream and sugar to coffee that was probably ice cold by now. She sent him a smirk as she popped it into the microwave.

"Worse, Barbara Streisand." She faked a shudder as she scanned the room, noticing the lack of a third body.

"Where's Sam?" She asked, sipping her now slightly lukewarm coffee.

"Oh the usual. Brooding with his face shoved in a book somewhere." Dean retorted, fixing his eyes back to the sluttily dressed woman speaking in Spanish on the TV. She rolled her eyes at the fact that he was really still mentally 14 half the time. Setting down her coffee, she dug through her bag and started on her usual morning routine.

"So it's what, a week until your birthday?" Dean asked after a minute and she had to smile at the hesitancy in his voice.

"Seems that way." She replied casually. Every year it was the same deal. The boys would try and try to get her to celebrate her birthday and every year she would refuse. She knew they meant well but she hadn't celebrated her birthday since she was 10. It brought back too many memories and it was easier to pretend like they didn't exist than to actually deal with them.

"Sam an me…we were thinking maybe we could all go to Six Flags this year…nothing says happy birthday like Sammy screaming like a girl." Dean laughed as Savannah turned to look at him. She knew he was worried about her. He tried to hide behind his snarky remarks and sarcastic quips, but she knew there was concern somewhere in his words.

"Look Dean, I appreciate what you're trying to do here, but it's been 15 years. You think you guys would get the point by now." She argued, taking up her coffee once again. Dean put his food down and looked at her, his face now serious.

"Exactly, Vannie. It's been 15 years! You think just one of them you could put away the sorry Sally act and actually _enjoy_ your birthday?" He contended. Savannah had just opened her mouth to ask him how spending most of his birthdays in questionable Asian massage parlors constituted as fun when Sam came striding in through the door.

"I think I found a job for us." He said cheerfully, throwing down a newspaper.

"Four kids all needed emergency blood transfusions and ones still in a coma from it. Four kids in four days."

Dean picked up the paper before looking back at Savannah.

"This isn't over." He said as she sighed.

"Of course it isn't." She huffed, zipping up her bag.

"So what are we thinkin? A vamp?" She asked, doing her best to change the subject off her birthday.

"Maybe, but it's not really their M.O. I mean, they don't just stop once they've made someone a human juice box." Dean pointed out.

"And they don't really go for kids, either." Sam chimed in.

Savannah mulled it over for a second before nodding.

"That's true, but it still sounds like our kind of gig. Where to gentlemen?" She asked, draining the last of her coffee and shouldering her bag.

"Harvey, Louisiana. It's about 10 miles outside of New Orleans." Sammy said and Savannah watched Dean's face light up faster than Augustus in Willy Wonka's factory.

"Now we're talking! What are we waiting for?" He said, jumping up and hurrying to pack his things. Dean would always be a giant kid at heart and New Orleans was his perfect playground. Savannah made her way out to the Impala, throwing her stuff into the trunk and settling herself in the front seat. She knew better then to think she'd be driving. She shuffled through the cassette tapes as she opened her phone. It rang twice before a gruff voice answered on the other end.

"Mornin' sunshine." Bobby's sardonic voice greeted her.

"Always nice to hear a comforting voice. Listen, we might have a job down in Harvey, Louisiana and we could use your ever amazing researching skills." She said, her words taking their own sarcastic tone.

"Oh stop, I'm blushing. Whacha need?" He asked, taking a sip of something she figured was probably whiskey. Dean and Sam climbed into the car, arguing about God knows what.

"Dunno yet. Four kids all needed emergency blood transfusions and ones still in a coma. Check for demonic signs around there? Maybe see if this is happening anywhere else, or if it has before? Maybe vamps? We'll give you a call when we figure out more." She requested, shuffling through Dean's box of cassette tapes again and handing him an Iron Maiden tape. He gave it an approving nod as the Impala rumbled to life.

"Alright. And hey, how're ya doin by the way?" Bobby's voice took a softer tone and she felt a smile pull at the edge of her lips. Bobby was the closest thing to a dad any of them had anymore. She knew he missed her father too. They'd been pretty close before he died.

"I'm alright, Bobby. Same as every year." She sighed, doing her best not to let her words reflect the sadness that was edging its way into her.

"Mmmhmm. Well, keep an eye on them. And…take care of yourself. Whiskey don't fix everything." He said and she couldn't help but smile at the fatherly tone in his voice. She flipped her phone shut and reached over to turn up the music. She knew a conversation about it was inevitable but she was determined to avoid it for as long as possible. The boys weren't stupid, they knew how she got around her birthday, but there was a job to do and she wasn't going to let her emotions cloud her judgment. She leaned her head against the window and let the trees along the highway blur together as Iron Maiden pumped from the speakers.

Two hours later and Savannah was still toying with one of the three necklaces that hung around her neck. She fiddled with the rings absentmindedly as she checked out the beat up map that Dean kept in the glove compartment. She was desperately trying to avoid the glances that Dean had been shooting her for the last 15 minutes. She was just glad Sam had fallen asleep an hour ago, since they liked to gang up on her at times like this.

"So, you gonna tell me what that dream was about this morning?" Dean said finally, turning down the music.

"Nope." She said simply, not even taking her eyes from the map. Dean sighed, shooting her an annoyed look.

"Come on, Van. I know it's about your dad." He persisted after a minute and she looked at him.

"Oh yeah? And how's that? Been pokin around my dreams lately?" She snapped a bit harsher then she meant to.

"Well, I don't really need to, seeing as it's the only time you ever play with that necklace." He said matter-of-factly and she dropped her hand from the ring she'd been fidgeting with.

"And your point is?" She said defensively.

"And my point is that you can't keep acting like nothing's wrong." His words seemed fretful and she snorted.

"Works just fine for you." She countered, throwing the map back in the glove compartment.

"Yeah well, sometimes it's good to get it off your chest every once in a while." He sighed, knowing that he was losing this battle.

"After you, my dear." She said snidely, wishing this conversation would be over already. Sometimes the fact that the boys knew her so well was annoying. Sam let out a tremendous snore from the back seat and their attention was diverted. Savannah took the opportunity to change the subject.

"So, what do you think we're dealing with here? I've never heard of kids getting drained of blood before." She said, flipping through her father's tattered journal for anything about the case.

"Me either. Hopefully Bobby will find something before we get there." He said hopefully. The car was quiet again and Savannah took note of the "Welcome to Louisiana" sign as it flew past.

"Can we stop for coffee or something? My ass went numb an hour ago." She asked, needing some fresh air and coffee that wasn't from a cheap motel.

"You should get that coffee addiction of yours check out, honestly. It's not healthy." Dean kidded as they drove on and Savannah laughed.

"Oh yeah, cause forking greasy burgers down your throat is _so_ good for you." She shot back as Dean cracked a smile. And as they chattered on, Savannah forgot about everything for a while. In that moment, they were just 3 kids with nothing to lose and everything to gain.


	3. Dazed and Confused

**Chapter 3: Dazed and Confused**

Savannah took her time ambling around the small gas station. They had an hour and a half more to go and she wanted to stretch her legs while she still had the chance. She poured herself some coffee as Sam and Dean scoured the shelves for lunch, or something close to it. She ran a hand through her hair as she capped her coffee and made her way over to the boys. Their quiet bickering stopped as she approached and she arched an eyebrow at them. They exchanged looks and Sam threw her a face that would have melted her heart if she hadn't known him any better. They were planning something and she didn't like it.

"I'm gonna go call Bobby and see if he's got anything." She told them as she handed her coffee over. The boys nodded and she made her way to the Impala, leaning against it as she dialed one of Bobby's numerous numbers. He answered on the first ring.

"Please tell me you have something." She pleaded into the receiver as she slipped her sunglasses on.

"Wish I could, but I'm coming up with squat so far. But I've got a few more friends to call, so I'll let you guys know if I find anything." He sighed and she could hear the exhaustion in his voice.

"Thanks, Bobby. And try sleeping every once in a while, I hear it's all the rage." She joked and she heard Bobby give a faint chuckle.

"And miss all the good stuff? No thanks, I'll keep spiking my coffee and hit the books." She heard the click ending their conversation and she eased herself into the seat of the car. She rummaged through her backpack and pulled out her father's worn leather journal. She flipped through the dog eared pages covered with her Daddy's chicken scratch handwriting for a few mintues before she threw it onto the seat beside her. She looked up just as Dean and Sam came strolling up to the car.

"Please! Floyd is just _better_ than Zeppelin. It's just a well-known fact. I'd rather listen to Barrett sing than Plant's endless whining any day of the week!" Sammy argued as they climbed into the car.

"That's cause you were dropped as a kid. I know, I was there." Dean bickered as he started the engine.

"Will you please tell my brother that he's deranged?!" Sam pleaded as she shook her head, a smile dancing on her lips.

"I hate to argue with the mentally challenge, Sam, but Dean's right. Zeppelin is where it's at." She said as Dean fist bumped her.

"And that's why you get to touch the radio." He said smugly as Sam shook his head in the back seat. He handed her a bag of chips and a hot dog.

"Sour cream and onion. Dog with wiz." He recited as she took them from him.

"Thank you, kind sir." They ate in silence, scarfing down their food in record time.

"So, anything from Bobby?" Dean asked her after a pause. She took a drink from her coffee, washing down the dry bread of the gas station hot dog before answering.

"Nada. Whatever this thing it, it's a tricky sonofabitch." She said, rubbing her temples. She'd been fighting off a headache for days now, and the copious amounts of coffee was definitely not helping.

"You alright, Van?" Sam asked her and she waved off his worry.

"Yeah. Just a headache. It'll pass." She said, trying not to let the fatigue taint her words. The sun was beaming and it was making the dull throb in her head even worse. She put her head in her hands and did her best to will away the pain that was thumping around in her skull. She needed a clear head right now.

"Ya sure? You're not lookin' so good." Sam asked again and Savannah didn't have to look at him to know that he was worried. Honestly, she was exhausted. She hadn't been sleeping well the last few weeks. She'd always been a pretty vivid dreamer, but Sam had trumped her on that front. Her dreams were nothing compared to the dreams, or visions, or whatever he'd been having. But at least his dreams were saving people; all hers were doing was scaring the crap out of her.

"Helloooo…Earth to Savannah…Come innnn." Dean's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

"What? Oh, yeah Sammy, I'm fine." She said, picking her head up from her hands. They could be worried about her after this job was done.

"Is it about your bir-"Sam had started before she held a hand up.

"I swear to Christ, if either of you say that word again, I'll shoot you both myself." She said defensively. They shot each other looks in the rear view and let the car settle into silence. Savannah laid her head back and the jerking of the car soothed her head some as she fell into sleep.

_It was cold out and Savannah shivered slightly at the falling snow. She was alone, as far as she could tell. Not a trace of Dean or Sam to be found. The house in front of her was anything but inviting, the porch covered in layers of dirt and dust from all the years of neglect. She zipped up her jacket and started for it, the snow crunching under her boots. There was something about the house that was beckoning her inside. She gripped her shotgun tightly as she slipped inside. It was musty and Savannah could tell there was a broken window from the draft that was making her hair stand on end. She felt like she knew this house, somehow. She been here before, but the memories were hazy. She crept quietly from the living room to the kitchen, searching for signs of anything amiss. As she scanned the room, she heard voices floating up from the basement door that was opened slightly. She slunk across the room and flattened herself into the darkness._

"_Please! My-my girl!" She heard a man pleading and she flinched as she heard something connect with flesh. _

"_Quit your groveling. It's pathetic. You knew the terms when you made the deal. 10 years and your soul is mine." A second voice said and Savannah could tell that the man behind it was merciless. _

"_But-"_

"_But nothing! You got your time!" The second voice barked and Savannah's heart was hammering against her rib cage. There was a thump behind her and she turned just in time to come face to face with black, soulless eyes._

Something was holding Savannah down. She flailed, her fist connecting with something solid. She shot upright, surveying Dean as he put a hand to his cheek. The Impala was on the side of the road and she did her best to get her frantic breathing under control.

"Jesus, woman!" Dean muttered, wiping away a trickle of blood off the corner of his mouth. The boys traded uneasy looks before looking back and her and she couldn't blame them for being concerned. She'd be the same way if the situations were reversed.

"Rough dream?" Sammy asked, a hint of sympathy lingering in his eyes. If anyone could understand what was going on, it was him. He'd been having his vision dreams for months now and they were getting worse, more vivid; and to all of their surprise, more accurate.

"Yeah, a little bit." She said, stretching as she stood. She tried to remember the strange house, but the details were getting fuzzy as consciousness crept back to her. She watched as a few cars zoomed by, ignoring the looks that they were getting from the other drivers.

"You wanna talk about it, Muhammad Ali?" Dean said sarcastically as they all clambered back into the car.

"Not really." She stated honestly, hoping that they'd just let the situation be for right now.

"Don't tell me you've got that psychic mumbjo jumbo crap now too?" Dean sighed in annoyance as Sam shot him an irritated look. Dean's lack of understanding about Sam's vision dream things was a sore subject at the moment, and Savannah was trying to avoid another screaming match between the two of them. They'd been at each other's throats for the last two weeks and it was driving her crazy.

"No. I don't think so, at least. I mean, I'm not like, seeing tomorrow's lotto numbers, if that's what you're asking." She said, slinking into the seat as the engine roared to life.

"One psychic freak per family, please." Dean mumbled as they rolled past the green sign that cheerily told them they'd entered Harvey, Louisiana.


	4. Communication Breakdown

**Chapter 4: Communication Breakdown**

It was around four when they finally checked into the motel in the middle of town. Savannah dropped her bags as soon as she was inside and flopped herself on the nearest bed with a sigh. The rest of the car ride had been quiet and she was happy about that.

"Ohhhh no. I'm getting a bed to myself tonight." Sam said as soon as he spotted her on the bed. She sat up and looked at him with a sigh.

"But Saaaaammmy." She whined as he shook his head.

"No…nope. I'm getting a bed to myself tonight." He repeated stubbornly. Savannah pouted at him for a few more seconds before giving up.

"But Dean snores!" She tried one last time.

"I don't snore." Dean said from the door way. Sam and Savannah exchanged looks.

"Oh, you definitely snore." Sam confirmed as he plugged in his laptop.

"Well you….are unusually tall…" Dean faltered, unable to produce a snappy comeback. Savannah gave him a look, a smirk spreading across her face.

"Unusually tall? _That's_ what you come back with?" She scoffed and Dean shrugged his shoulders defensively.

"Shut up. I'm going to get some food." He said, grabbing the Impala's keys off the dresser.

"Get coffee!" Sam and Savannah told him at the same time. Dean gave them a wave as he closed the door. Sam started unpacking and Savannah took the time to leaf through her Dad's journal again. She skimmed the pages, looking for something helpful. There was talk about vampires, about demons, werewolves, shifters and hellhounds, but nothing about kids or sucking their blood. Savannah took care not to read too much about the hellhounds. The very thought of them sent a shiver down her spine. She hated them with every ounce of her being; because those were the things that had taken her father. All Savannah knew about her father's death was that he'd made a deal with a crossroads demon when she was just a baby. She'd asked every one of her father's friends, but no one knew what the deal was, and if they did, they sure as hell weren't letting her in on it. She'd almost gotten Bobby to spill the beans once when he was drunk, but he wised up at the last second and told her to quit prying. She yawned as she closed the book with a snap.

"It helps if you talk about them, you know." Sam said from the bed he was sitting on. His eyes were boring into hers and she ran a hand through her hair absentmindedly.

"I know. It's just…hard." She admitted. He gave her an understanding smile.

"You're really _not_ having visions, right?" He asked quietly after a lengthy pause.

"I sure as hell hope not. They're more like flashbacks than anything." She told him, noting the relief that washed over his face. She knew Sammy's visions were troubling him and Dean wasn't helping the situation by constantly undermining him. But Savannah knew that's just how they were. Their whole life it had been Dean's mission to make sure Sam was okay and Savannah had guessed that the reason Dean hated talking about them was because deep down, he was scared. Sam knew it, but he just wanted his brother to tell him he still cared. Sam thought he was a monster and Dean knew as well as Savannah that was anything but the truth.

"Yeah, well, at least yours aren't coming true." He spat after a second. Savannah noticed the anger flash through his eyes. Truth be told, she'd watched Sam's anger worsen since his visions had started. He was getting angrier every day and it was starting to worry her. If she looked hard enough at him, she could see the rage lying just under the surface, waiting for the right time to explode out of him. And truth be told, it was starting to scare her. Sammy wasn't supposed to be the angry one; that was a job best left for Dean. As if on cue, Dean came strolling in through the door. He held a bucket of fried chicken in one hand and a 12 pack in the other.

"Do you _always_ have to get fried chicken when we're in Louisiana?" Sam complained. Dean's eyes were glowing with smugness as he looked at his brother.

"When in Rome, Sammy." He said as he threw them both a beer. Savannah drank gratefully, relishing the carbonation as it sailed into her stomach.

"So what's the game plan here?" Dean asked, settling himself across from Savannah at the table.

"Well, there's research we need to do, and we still have to interview the parents and the kids that are awake." Savannah listed as she piled chicken and mashed potatoes onto a plate.

"So we research tonight and interview tomorrow?" Sam suggested. Savannah nodded in agreement as she dug into the greasy mess. She had to side with Dean on this one, Louisiana knew how to make some damn good fried chicken.

"Good. So I'll canvass the neighborhood and you two can hit the books." Dean smiled at them with his usual boyish charm.

"And by canvas the neighborhood, you mean get piss drunk at a bar and hit on the waitresses. Noooo way buddy. How about _I _"canvas the neighborhood" and _you_ hit the books for once." Savannah retorted. Sam sighed at the two of them, knowing fully well that he'd be drug along to the bar with them both. They ate in silence and Savannah didn't even bother to bring up the fact that there wasn't a coffee cup in sight.

"I'm at least getting a shower before I watch you two get obliterated all night." Sam said after he'd finished eating. Dean shrugged and Savannah busied herself in a thick book she'd borrowed from Bobby. She was a few dozen pages in when Dean sighed restlessly from his chair. She glanced at him over the top of her book.

"Dude, relax. You know Sam's showers take like, two seconds." She stated, not surprised he was getting anxious. He wasn't one to stay in one spot too long.

"It's not that. I'm just…I don't know…worried? Something's not right with him." Dean whispered, shooting a glance to the bathroom door. Savannah put the book down and looked at him.

"I know. He's been off for a while now. Ever since he started getting those visions of his." She agreed.

"I don't like it one bit, Vannie. Nothing good can come of them, I just know it." He confessed as he shot another uneasy glance at the door. Savannah knew that Dean would always be that 10 year old little boy who constantly worried about his little brother. It'd been like that since the first time she'd ever met Dean and she knew he wasn't changing anytime soon.

"We don't know that for sure, Dean. And you can't keep badgering him about them either. He can't control them and you know it." She reminded him, her voice taking a gentler tone. Dean huffed in response and slunk back in his chair.

"I know, but I just get this gut feeling that it's so much more than just visions." He said and before Savannah could make him elaborate, the bathroom door opened. Sam looked at Dean and then at Savannah at their abrupt silence.

"What?" He asked, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

"Nothing. Just uh, figuring out what bar to go to. I think I saw a pretty good one down the street." Dean said, his words coming out too quickly. Sammy shot them a suspicious look, but kept quiet. Savannah changed and they headed out into the warm night.

The bar was only a few blocks away and even at 6:45 at night, it was already pretty crowded. They found a quiet table in the corner and Dean went to go get them beers. Sam leaned in closer to Savannah after he was out of earshot.

"So what were you guys talking about when I was in the shower?" He asked and Savannah hated when she was cornered like this. It's not that she was a bad liar, hell, the job practically _required_ being good at lying. It was just that she hated lying to the boys, Sammy especially.

"Like Dean said, just what bar to go to." She said, forcing her voice to sound casual. But Sam wasn't buying it.

"It was about my visions, wasn't it?" He asked with conviction. She wondered if he could read minds as well. There was no way that he could have overheard them with the shower running like that.

"What? Of course not. You're outta your mind Sammy." She waved off his suspicions as best she could. She looked around the bar, hoping for Dean to get back and provide a distraction. She spotted him still at the bar, more than likely chatting up the attractive blonde bartender with less than real boobs. She sighed in annoyance and slipped up to the bar, catching the tail end of Dean's sentence.

"-shot in action a few years ago. Made a full recovery though. If you're lucky, I'll show you the scar after your shift." The bartender giggled and Dean gave her an over exaggerated wink that turned Savannah's stomach. She coughed to get his attention.

"Oh, this is my one of my partners, Detective Benatar." Dean explained and Savannah stifled back a smirk as she shook the girl's hand.

"You must have been terrified when Dean got shot saving you." The blonde said; her eyes wide. Savannah kicked Dean under the counter as she forced a grin.

"Oh yeah. Worst day of my whole life. I'm sorry to break this all up, but my partners and I need to get back to work." She said as she steered Dean away by the elbow.

"Seriously?! Shot in action? Could you _get_ any more Lethal Weapon?" She hissed at him as soon as they were out of ear shot. Dean didn't bother replying. He just smirked at her and took a sip of his beer.


	5. In The Evening

**Chapter 5: In The Evening**

"Detective _Benatar_? You're losing your touch in your old age." Savannah taunted as they sat back down at the table. Sam took his beer without even looking up from the book he was buried in. Dean rolled his eyes at his younger brother and Savannah just shook her head. She knew better than to egg Dean on, Sammy was already getting annoyed with him. She sipped her beer and let her eyes wander around the bar. There was a man around her age across the bar by the pool tables who was giving her the eye. She smiled at him as their eyes met and looked away coyly. She wasn't easy, by any means, but it didn't hurt that she was attractive and pretty good at manipulating a situation to her benefit. And she had to admit, he wasn't a bad looking guy either. He was tall and lean and Savannah could see a tattoo poking out from underneath the sleeve of his shirt. His brown hair was shaggy and he ran hand through it at the sight of her. Dean followed her gaze and she watched a smirk spread across his face.

"I see you've already got 'em lining up." He said and Savannah could have sworn there was a slight hint of jealousy to his words. She winked at him as she slid down from the bar stool.

"Watch momma work, boys." She said before she sauntered across the bar. She could see as she got near that he was even more handsome up close. His smile was white and toothy as she approached.

"So, is your boyfriend gonna be mad that you're ditching him?" The guy asked and Savannah laughed and waved a hand at Dean and Sam who were watching from across the bar.

"Them? Please. They're my cousins. We're here on vacation, for my birthday." She said smoothly and the man held out a calloused hand.

"I'm Derrick." He said and she smiled at the silkiness of his voice. She shook his hand, surprised at how gentle his handshake was.

"Savannah. But for the love of god, call me Vannie." She joked and he cringed for a second before cracking another beautiful smile. Savannah thought it was strange, but brushed it off as he looked at her with those beautiful gray eyes of his.

"Well then, Vannie, if it's your birthday, I guess I'm obliged to buy you a drink. What can I get ya?" He asked as he led the way up to the bar. She batted her eyes at him flirtatiously.

"Whiskey on the rocks, if you could." She told the bartender Dean had been flirting with earlier and Derrick gave her an impressed look.

"My kinda girl!" He said and she chuckled, rolling her eyes playfully at him.

"What can I say? My daddy raised me right." She joked and he nodded in approval.

"It seems that way. How long are you guys in town for?" He asked, throwing a glance over her shoulder to where the boys were sitting. She shrugged lightly, honestly not really sure herself.

"I'm not really sure. A few days, I guess." She paused for a minute to sip her drink.

"Crazy stuff going on around here, huh?" She dropped her line and hoped he'd take the bait. He nodded furiously at her statement.

"I know. Those poor kids don't even know what hit 'em. They go to sleep at night and in the morning they're practically dead." He said sympathetically. Savannah pushed her hair over her shoulders and leaned in closer to him.

"Really? Is it like the wildlife around here to do something like that?" She asked innocently. She hated playing so dumb sometimes, but it got her the information she needed. Derrick's face scrunched and he shook his head as he took a healthy sip from his cup.

"Well, that's just it. The police are saying that there wasn't any sign of an animal. Every house had an alarm system and the windows were locked. Spooky, right?" He said and she nodded in fake agreement, knowing fully well that there were worse things on this earth.

"Good thing I don't believe in ghosts!" She lied through her teeth. He laughed half-heartedly and ran a hand through his hair again. She toyed with the straw in her drink as her eyes rested on the tattoo peeking out from his sleeve.

"You got ink?" She asked with a gesture to it. He gave her a confused look for a second before realizing what she was talking about.

"Oh yeah. Sorry, I always forget it's there. I got it done forever ago." He lifted up his sleeve to reveal a huge serpent that wrapped around his entire arm. Savannah took the opportunity to touch him and placed a hand on his muscular bicep. His face lit up at her contact and she gave him another enticing smile.

"So what do you do for a living, if you don't mind my asking?" She inquired, sipping from her now half empty drink.

"Construction, mostly. But I do the odd job here and there too." He explained and she squeezed his bicep again.

"You can tell!" His cheeks blushed at her compliment as his eyes slipped back behind her. She turned around to find Dean walking up to them and she glared him down.

"Hi. Sorry to break up this little party, but we're gonna head back to the motel." He said impatiently and Savannah wondered what his problem was. He was staring Derrick down with such intensity that she was worried he was going to lunge at him. She gave him a look of pure annoyance before turning back to her mysterious new friend.

"Well, if you're going to be around for a few days, maybe I can take you out to dinner. After all, one drink is hardly a birthday present." He suggested and Savannah's face lit up at the thought. She scribbled one of her cell numbers down on a napkin and handed it to him with a wink.

"Don't keep me waiting." She said and she heard Dean huff from behind her. Derrick grinned at her as he tucked the napkin into his back pocket.

"A gorgeous girl like you, I wouldn't dare." And before she could say anything else, Dean was pulling her back across the bar.

"What the _hell_ is wrong with you?" She hissed at him as soon as they were out of earshot.

"I don't like him, Van." Dean said, throwing a glance to where Derrick had wandered. Savannah's anger was rising steadily now. And she shot a look to Sammy in a vain attempt at keeping the peace.

"I'm not sure about him either honestly." Sam said with a half-hearted shrug. "Did you find anything out about the kids?" He asked as Dean went to get them more beers.

"Uh, a little bit. Apparently all the houses that were hit were sealed up tight. Alarm systems on and windows locked. Cops don't think it was animals." She said, avoiding Dean as he sat back at the table.

"That's because it wasn't animals. You think it's a vengeful spirit?" Sam offered and Savannah shook her head slightly.

"No. I mean, it doesn't really sound like one. Why leave the kids alive if it's vengeful?" She responded as she glanced towards where Derrick was standing. He gave her a smile and she felt her cheeks redden. Dean sighed again and she had to keep herself from shouting at him right then and there.

"Seriously? Can you stay focused here?" He snapped at her and Savannah looked at him wrathfully for a second before she drained her beer and threw down a few bucks.

"I need to get some air. I'll meet you guys back at the hotel." She said angrily before storming out of the bar. She flipped open her phone as she started walking and it wasn't long before Sam and Dean were trailing behind her. She dialed Bobby's number and he picked up on the fourth ring.

"Let me guess, you're calling about some dude you just met in a bar." He said, sounding less than amused about getting dragged into their spat. Savannah stopped dead in her tracks.

"Oh, Jesus. Now he's calling _you_ about this guy too? All the guy did was buy me a drink and offer to buy me dinner. Is that a _crime_ now?" She said loudly over her shoulder, more towards Dean than Bobby.

"Would you two quit your bickerin? In case you've forgotten, you're _working_. So start doing some work!" He said exasperatedly before hanging up. Savannah flipped her phone close with a vicious snap and picked up her pace. She made it to the motel before them and cracked open a beer the second she was inside. Sam appeared in the doorway before Dean and he sunk onto the bed, just doing his best to get out of the war path. The very sight of Dean was enough to send her into a rage, but she just quietly sipped her beer and flipped through the channels of the TV with lightning speed. The silence in the room was littered with tension.

"So now you're just gonna sulk all night?" Dean snapped at her finally and she turned on him with the viciousness of a cornered dog.

"Sulk?! Don't talk to me like I'm some pissed off teenager, Dean." She shrieked at him, stepping closer.

"Then quit acting like one. I'm sorry if I'm trying to make sure you're alright." He yelled back.

"He was a _nice guy_, Dean. That's more than I can say for those skanks you always choose. But you don't see me ripping you away from them, do you? And calling Bobby? What the _hell_ was that about?" She spat bitterly, shoving him harshly.

"Open your eyes, Savannah. There's something not right with that guy!" Dean tried to reason with her but she wouldn't have it. It wasn't fair and he knew it. He got to have his fun, so why couldn't she have hers?

"What?! What on Earth was _so scary_ about him that you had to save defenseless little me?" She pushed, waving her hands mockingly. Sam opened his mouth to interject.

"Shut up, Sammy!" They chorused at him before turning back on each other.

"He's a creep, Van! He's a scumbag and if you weren't so busy gripping his arms than you'd be able to realize that something's weird about the guy!" Dean barked, pointing a finger at her.

"So now it's _my_ fault?! Oh nooo. Whatever would I do without the great Dean Winchester to swoop down and save the day. Ya know what, Dean? When he calls, I think I'll have myself a nice dinner with the scumbag." She said spitefully and Dean's eyes flashed maliciously.

"Oh yeah? Well when something happens to you, don't expect me to save your ass. Like I _always_ do!" He said, turning on his heels and storming out of the room. He slammed the door so hard the lamp rattled and Savannah heard the Impala peel out of the parking lot with a vicious intensity.

"That _asshole!_" She mumbled to herself, slamming her fist against the wall before cracking open another beer and throwing Sammy one too. He drank it quietly and she sunk into the bed, fully well intending to make that dick sleep in the tub.

"Ya know he'-" Sammy had started before a murderous look from Savannah shut him in instantly.


	6. Good Times, Bad Times

**Chapter 6: Good Times, Bad Times**

Half an hour later, Savannah had polished off most of the 12 pack that Dean had gotten earlier. The haze of alcohol was starting to calm her and she looked at Sam, who was diligently watching TV. He gave her a sideways glance and a halfhearted smile.

"He'll be back and then you two can make up. Same as always." He reassured her and she nodded, settling herself more into the bed. In all honesty, she did feel sort of bad. She knew he was just trying to look out for her and she knew he probably had the best of intentions. But she couldn't help but feel like he was trying to sabotage her happiness or something. She bit her lip as she eased herself up from the bed and slipped into her jacket. Sam looked at her confused.

"I'm going to get some whiskey. You want anything while I'm out?" She asked and he gave her an unsure look before nodding.

"A coffee would be nice. Seems like we have a lot of books to sift through." He said, rubbing his eyes in exhaustion.

"Headache?" She asked, pausing at the door, casting him a concerned look. He always got a headache before a vision.

"No. Just tired as all hell." He assured her and she nodded before walking out of the room. She made it half way across the parking lot before she ran into Dean. He was leaning against the trunk of the Impala. They traded awkward looks before he haphazardly offered her the fifth he was drinking. She took it, sipping it gratefully. He took a deep breath before talking.

"I'm…..uh…yeah…" He mumbled awkwardly as she handed the bottle back to him.

"Yeah. Me too." She said and she knew that it was as close to an apology as either of them could muster. Dean cleared his throat in the uncomfortable silence that followed.

"So, I found out something about the job." She said, smoothing out her jacket. He perked up at the mention of information.

"Oh yeah?"

"Apparently every house was locked up tight. Systems set, windows closed." She relayed and his face wrinkled as he contemplated the new knowledge.

"So maybe it _is_ a vengeful spirit." He mused, playing with his bottom lip as he thought. Savannah lazily shook her head. She grabbed the bottle from Dean's hand and took a swig. She grimaced at the bitter liquid as she swallowed. It warmed her insides and she could feel some of her tensions slipping away.

"It still doesn't seem right. But I guess we won't know anything for sure until we talk to the parents." She said, handing the bottle back to him.

"We should probably get back to the room before Sammy throws a bitch fit." Dean said with a nod towards the room. Savannah just smiled at him.

"No can do sir. I told Sammy I'd grab him some coffee. And we…sort of need more beer." She said, mumbling the last part. "You go ahead. I'll be right back." She continued before trekking across the rest of the parking lot. She'd seen a gas station about 2 blocks away and started for it. She got there quickly, grabbing Sammy his coffee and herself another fifth. As she was contemplating whether or not to share it with the boys, her phone went off. It was a text from a number she didn't know.

_Hey beautiful. It's Derrick, the guy from the bar. I was thinking maybe you and I could go to dinner tomorrow night around 8? I know a killer place not too far from here._

She eagerly agreed and he sent her an address where to meet him. She was grinning from ear to ear as she walked back into the motel room. She handed Sam his coffee before she plopped herself down at the table and started researching.

Savannah read until her eyes were burning out of their sockets. She leaned back in her chair and poured herself another helping of whiskey.

"Anything?" She asked the boys hopefully. They looked up at her and shook their heads.

"Not a goddamn thing." Dean said, sounding frustrated. She couldn't blame him, she was getting pretty aggravated herself at this whole thing. Usually there was _something_ they could work from.

"It's like no one's ever heard of anything like this before." Sam said, shutting his laptop. Savannah pinched the bridge of her nose and took her shot before pouring herself another.

"What'd the police report say again?" She asked Sam and he shuffled some papers before he found the one he needed.

"The parent's stories are all the same. They said they put the kids to bed and then found them in the morning unconscious, pale and cold. No signs of a forced entry and no DNA of any kind." He read aloud before throwing the paper next to him.

"How old were the kids?" Dean asked, his hands behind his head as he laid back on the bed.

"Uh, first one was 7, the next one 6, the third was 5 and the boy still in the coma is 4." He listed off the paper again. Savannah put her head in her hands again, fighting to keep her eyes open. She heard one of their phones flip open, but she didn't bother to lift her head.

"Hey Bobby. Yeah, we're up to our necks in research too." She heard Sam say as her eyes drifted closed.

"Well, the kid's ages go from 4-7 in perfect order, and from what everything says, there was no signs of a forced entry, no alarms, no DNA. Nothing." He said after a minute. His voice was drifting further and further away as she descended into sleep.

WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

_Savannah was walking down a street. She wasn't sure what city she was in, or why it felt so familiar to her. She flipped her cell open, but found she had no service. The sun was just starting to come up and there was a hint of winter in the air. She looked around, trying to figure out where the hell she was, and where Dean and Sam had gotten off to. She was sure they'd been here a minute ago. She came to the intersection of Jade Lane and South Bishop Way. She paused, staring at the signs for a minute. She knew them and she couldn't for the life of her figure out why. _

_ "Savannah?" Someone called from behind her and she spun around, defensively. But seconds later her gun was clattering to the ground as a man stepped from the shadows into the light. Savannah was taken aback for a second as she convinced herself that her mind was playing tricks on her. But there was no denying it, she knew that face anywhere. _

_ "Daddy?!" She yelled, practically charging at him. He greeted her with a warm smile as she wrapped herself around him. _

_ "Hi princess. It's been a while." He said softly into her ear. She squeezed him tighter, inhaling his familiar smell as he held her in his arms. The tears were welling in her eye as they traced the lines in his face._

_ "I miss you all the time, Daddy." She all but whimpered and he smoothed her hair behind her ear._

_ "I know, sugar. I know." He cooed as she just stared at him, awestruck._

_ "Why'd you make the deal, Daddy? What was more important than your own soul?" She asked, the words flooding out before she could stop them. He looked at her and his eyes were filled with sadness._

_ "I'm not going to tell you that, hunny." He said sympathetically._

_ "Why not?" She asked, her words sounding hurt. She didn't have time to move before his eyes were black and soulless and he was plunging the knife into her stomach. The pain was white hot and her vision exploded as her father bent to her ear._

_ "Because you're going to die anyway." She heard him whisper before the darkness took her._

Savannah popped up with a gasp, sending a wave of pain down her back. She looked quickly at the boys, finding them both fast asleep. Sammy was still sitting up; his head lulled to one side and a book open in his lap. Dean on the other hand, was sprawled out across the bed, one foot thrown lazily over the edge. The sky was just starting to streak with bright pinks and oranges as she checked her phone. 7:12 am. She wiped the sleep from her eyes and slid the laptop off Sam's bed. She searched the internet for the street names she'd seen in her dream, finding they belonged to a town called Lovington, New Mexico. It was located half an hour outside of Hobbs. Her eyes widened at the mention of the city as the image of flying past the welcome sign danced across her brain. She snuck outside quietly, knowing that Bobby would more than likely be awake at this hour.

"Well, you're up awful early!" He greeted her, sounding genuinely surprised.

"Yeah, I know. Listen, Bobby. I…I have to ask you something and I'd prefer if the boys didn't know." She started and she heard Bobby shift the phone.

"Look, I'm sort of the wrong gender for "girl talk" but lay it on me." His sarcasm never ceased, if anything, it was getting better with age.

"What do you know about Lovington, New Mexico?" She asked on baited breath. Bobby let out a sharp exhale and Savannah heard him falter for a second.

"What about it? It's a town right outside of Hobbs. Why?" He asked. Savannah could hear the panic sailing through his words, despite his best efforts to keep his voice casual. She took a deep breath before continuing.

"Because, I've sort of been having these-" She hesitated a second before continuing. "dreams and last night I had one about Lovington." She explained hastily. She heard Bobby sigh in frustration as the phone was shifted again.

"Balls."


	7. What Is And What Should Never Be

**Chapter 7: What Is and What Should Never Be**

"Dreams, as in plural?" Bobby said as Savannah fidgeted with a ring on her index finger. She had been expecting a reaction like this from him.

"Yeah." She said simply, knowing he wasn't done.

"How many are we talkin'?" He asked gruffly, and Savannah could hear the fatherly affection hiding behind the roughness in his voice.

"I dunno. 3, maybe 4." She told him impatiently, wanting to get to the reason she called. Bobby sighed and she could picture him pacing around his kitchen, his 50th cup of coffee sloshing around in his hand.

"Balls. Don't tell me you're havin' visions like Sam!" He huffed, and Savannah didn't have to see him to know that there was worry written all over his face.

"I'm not. They're almost like…flashbacks….sort of." She did her best to explain. She wasn't sure what to call them herself.

"Flashbacks? Of what? Last I checked you weren't even a thought when 'Nam was goin on." Bobby said sarcastically and she wished he was there to receive the un-amused look on her face.

"Well, first one was the night my dad…left." She forced the words from her mouth. "And then it's just been a bunch of weird stuff." She said vaguely, regretting ever bringing up her dreams in the first place.

"Define weird." Bobby demanded. She inhaled and exhaled, hopping up on the trunk of the Impala.

"Like an abandoned house where demons are repossessing someone's soul and then the one last night about Lovington. My dad was in it…he was a demon and he…sort of.." She trailed off, feeling stupid for even talking about them.

"Well, spit it out. He what?"

"He killed me." She said finally, shuddering slightly as the image replayed in her mind. She heard the clink of a bottle and thought a drink wasn't such a bad idea right now.

"Look, I'm not sure how much of all that you really remember, seein' how young you were at the time, but Lovington is where your father's body was found." Bobby told her slowly, trying to gauge her reaction over the phone. Savannah thought back to the days after her father had died. They were fuzzy and she just remembered being shuttled from one place to another.

"Dad was buried somewhere in New Mexico, I think." She said, struggling to remember.

"Just outside Lovington. John was put down as his next of kin so of course he got called when they found his body. We actually had a bit of a fight about that. I didn't want you to go with them, but you know John, headstrong sonofabitch." Bobby clarified and Savannah suddenly remembered the long hours sitting at the police station as John told them some bullshit story. She remembered Dean doing his best to cheer her up and keep an eye on Sammy at the same time. She inhaled sharply as she remembered watching the black body bag on the stretcher as it rolled by her. Savannah bit the inside of her lip, trying to keep her emotions in check.

"Ya'll right?" Bobby's voice was gentle and she couldn't help but crack a smile at it.

"Yeah Bobby, I'm alright. Just been a long time." She sniffled into the phone as the door to their motel room opened.

"Hey, I've gotta call you back. Thanks Bobby." She rushed, flipping her cellphone shut just as Dean and Sam emerged. She wiped her eyes quickly and hoped that she didn't look like too much of a mess.

"We were wondering where you'd gotten off to." Sammy said as they walked up to her.

"Sorry, just calling to see if Bobby had anything." She said, showing them her phone. "He doesn't." She said, answering their next question.

"Soooo…breakfast?" Dean said hopefully as Savannah hopped down from the trunk. She settled herself in the backseat and listened to the boys chatter happily until they pulled into a diner. They ordered their food and Dean looked at Savannah as she sipped on her coffee.

"Man, you look like crap." He said unsympathetically and she yawned. She had just stared adding more sugar to her coffee when they heard the radio of the policeman behind them.

_"All units, we have a code 45-C underway at 445 Maple Ave. Be advised the child is being stabilized." _The man rushed from his table with the three of them not far behind. The scene was chaotic as they pulled up and Savannah rushed from the car as soon as it stopped moving. She walked up to the man she guessed was in charge, flashing her fake FBI badge.

"I'm Detective Franklin, these are my partners Barrett and Waters." She introduced them, getting a dirty look from Dean as she did. The man nodded and extended a hand.

"Sergeant Davis. The feds huh?" He asked, tilting his head curiously as he surveyed their attire.

Savannah gave herself the once over before flashing him a smile.

"The call, uh, woke us up." She explained hastily. Davis gave them an understanding look. Savannah looked toward the house where police and paramedics were scrambling about. She spotted who she assumed were the parents of the kid because they looked distraught. Davis walked away and the three of them looked at each other.

"So, I'll go talk to the parents and you two look around?" She planned and they nodded before they dispersed. Savannah made her way cautiously over to the parents and flashed them a sympathetic smile. It was times like these when she was happy she was a woman. People for some reason were more patient with her than the boys.

"Hi. I'm sorry for interrupting, but I'm Special Agent Franklin, and if you don't mind, I'd like to ask you a few questions about what happened." She said as gently as she could. The parents didn't even bother to look at her fake credentials.

"I don't understand why someone would do this!" The father exclaimed in frustration. His wife just held on tighter to his shirt and sobbed.

"I'm very sorry about your child. We're doing everything we can to figure it out. Can you explain to me what happened here?" She asked, hoping they wouldn't fight her too much. The father sighed and ran a hand over his face.

"We put Caleb to bed around 8, like we always do. He was just fine when I shut the lights out. And I went in this morning to wake him up and he….he was just lying there." The man struggled with the words and Savannah couldn't blame him. Jobs like this were the sole reason she never planned on having children of her own.

"And had he been acting strange? Seeing anything, or smelling anything weird?" She carefully asked and they gave her a strange look.

"What? No. Nothing like that. He was just fine." The man's eyes were distant and his wife dried her eyes before a look of recollection sailed across them.

"He…he was talking about a ball of light before we put him to bed." She said feebly and Savannah took a step closer to her.

"A ball of light?" She inquired. The lady shook her head and shot her confused husband a look.

"He said…it came in through the keyhole of his door." She clarified as her husband rubbed her shoulders. Savannah could say with certainty that she was lost on this one. She'd never heard of anything like this before.

"Thank you. Please, don't hesitate to call if you remember anything else." She said, handing them a business card with one of her cell numbers on it. She made her way through the sea of people and found the boys poking around in the boy's bedroom. They had jumped at first, but relaxed as they realized who it was.

"Did you get anything from the parents?" Dean asked, searching under the pillows as Sam swept the room with the EMF detector.

"Yeah, the kid was talking about a ball of light that came in through the key hole in his door?" She said and Dean stopped, giving her a perplexed look.

"Well, that's certainly a new one…."


	8. Wearing And Tearing

**Chapter 8: Wearing and Tearing**

Savannah watched as Dean chomped away happily on his burger. He'd insisted on going to get food as soon as they'd left the Morgan's house and Sam and Savannah both knew he wouldn't stop until he got some. It astounded Savannah that the man wasn't 400 pounds bigger with the way he ate.

"So, what now?" He said around a mouthful of food. Sam grimaced in disgust and Savannah just sipped her coffee, happy the two were actually getting along for once. It seemed the only time they _were_ getting along anymore was when they were working.

"Well, we go and interview the other victims." Sam sighed as Dean sucked down the last of his soda.

"Mmm-mm-mmmm. Right, just as soon as I finish this beauty." Dean said, his attention already diverted back to the mammoth burger. Sam tapped his foot impatiently and Savannah noted the mounting tension in the air. She did her best to ignore it as she flipped open the files that were stacked in front of them.

"Alright, so Dean and I will talk to Katie Samson's parents. She's the kid in the coma. And you go see what you can get out of the others." She said, handing Sam the pile. She just wanted the two of them to get a little space from each other. The long hours and everything with Sam was stressing both of them out and she knew a fight between them was inevitable. They swung by the hotel and changed quickly before heading their own separate ways.

15 minutes later, Dean and Savannah were sitting in the Samson's well-furnished living room. Katie's mother was at the hospital and Savannah counted the stress wrinkles in Mr. Samson's forehead. She accepted the cup of coffee he offered as he took a seat.

"Now, I'm confused. I already gave my statement to the police." He said as Dean and Savannah traded looks. If they had a dollar for every person who said that, well, let's just say that Savannah would never hussle another game of pool in her life.

"We understand that sir, but the Bureau likes to be thorough. Especially when there's children involved." Dean stated and the man nodded wearily.

"Can you tell us if anything was strange in the day before your daughter's attack?" Savannah asked gently as she flipped open her notepad. Half the time, the page stayed blank, but she thought it was a nice touch to the suits and fake badges.

"No. Not that I can recall. We put Katie to bed as usual and the next morning, she was limp." He explained simply as Dean leaned back, a perplexed look was spreading itself across his face.

"Have you noticed anything amiss? Strange noises, might sound like rats in the wall, or odd smells." He inquired, leaning once more on his elbows. Mr. Samson sighed, his anguish clearly painted on his face and Savannah felt for the man.

"Mr. Samson, did your daughter happen to mention anything about a ball of light?" Savannah threw it out there, hoping for a reaction. She saw him stiffen and give her a suspicious look.

"Why do you ask?"

"It's just some information we think might be relevant." Dean stepped in before the man could ask any more questions.

"She said she'd seen a ball of fire in her room the night before everything happened. We just chalked it up to her imagination." He admitted after a second. "And then in the morning, it was like she'd been sucked dry." He said with a pained glance out the window. Savannah and Dean thanked the man for his time and slipped into the Impala. Dean immediately called Sammy.

"Hey Sammy. Yeah, we'll meet you there….Yeah…he's got the same story with the ball of light and everything. Alright." Dean snapped his phone shut and revved the engine to life.

"Sammy said he's seen two other families who all say the same thing. What the hell _is_ this thing?" He pondered aloud as Black Sabbath screeched from the speakers.

"I dunno. But it eats more than you do." She said with a glance to her phone. It was a quick ride and Sam was already waiting for them as they pulled up to the last house.

"This is the last kid who was attacked before this morning. Eric Wells, aged 4." Sam gave them the details as they approached the door. They were greeted by his mother, who ushered them in after the usual procedures and Savannah was surprised at the fact that Eric appeared to be just fine. He was playing happily in the den where they sat. They started the usual questioning and Savannah intently watched the dark haired boy scribble in a picture for a few minutes.

"Mrs. Wells, do you mind if I speak with your son? Sometimes kids see more than they think." She asked as she knelt down next to him.

"Hi Eric. My name is Vannie." She said and he waved at her before she continued. "That's a nice picture." She added as he continued his scribbling.

"It's the fire lady." He said simply, his grey eyes never leaving his creation.

"The fire lady?" Savannah said sweetly as the boy handed her the drawing.

"The one that bit me. She made me sick, but Mommy says I'm all better now." He said and she shot a glance to where the boys were sitting with his mother. Savannah hadn't heard about an old lady from anyone else, and she wondered how much of it the kid was imagining.

"What did she look like?" She asked, trying hard not to let the panic slip into her words.

"She was fire at first, and then she was an old lady. She bit me and then I didn't feel good, that's when I woke up in the hospital." He explained, starting to draw another picture. Savannah smiled at him and joined the boys just as they were handing over a business card. Sam and Dean both shot her a look as they left.

"What'd the kid say?" Dean asked as they headed back toward the motel.

"That ball of fire? Supposedly turned into an old lady…and then bit him." She reiterated. They glanced at each other, puzzled and Dean shook his head.

"So now it's some old lady?" He asked and Sam sighed.

"Well, it's more information than we had before." He said as they sailed to a stop at the motel. They changed and cracked open the books again, looking for anything about old woman that might be useful. Savannah waited until their attentions were diverted before she slipped outside to call Bobby again.

"Well howdy, Miss Cleo." Bobby's voice danced through the receiver. She snorted at his jab.

"This coming from Father time himself. So we talked to the kids and their parents. And all of them say the kids were talking about a ball of light that came in through the keyhole. And get this, one of the kids swears that it morphed into an old lady before it attacked him." She relayed the information. It was quiet for a second before she heard the sounds of a bottle meeting glass.

"That's a strange one, alright. Never heard of anything like it before. Lemme see what I can do. Oh and by the way, if I find out that you go to dinner with that mystery man of yours, those boys will be the last of your worries." He threatened casually between sips of booze. Savannah rolled her eyes.

"And don't roll your eyes at me!" He said and Savannah was always amazed at Bobby's abilities.

"I just don't see what the big deal is here." She argued, sounding more like a whiney teenager than she wanted to.

"All I know is that if the boys say something's off, then it probably is." He said with conviction. And Savannah made a face at the phone.

"Well, let's see how Dean likes it the next time I rip him away from one of those _skanks_ he always manages to find." She huffed before shutting her phone and going back into the hotel room.

"Bobby said he'll let us know if he finds anything." She said before rummaging around in her bag. It was almost 7 now and she had an hour to get ready for her dinner with Derrick. She was going, whether they wanted her to or not. She was a grown woman and she could do as she damn well pleased. Sam and Dean threw her identical confused looks as she picked out her nicest outfit. She waited on bated breath as realization swept across their faces.

"No." Dean said, throwing down the book he'd been half-heartedly skimming.

"Yes." She retorted, going back to what she was doing.

"Savannah-" Sam started, his voice was warning. She looked at them defiantly as she prepared for a vicious fight. She knew they wouldn't like it, but they weren't her parents.

"I'm going. Period, end of discussion. I deserve a bit of a break. I've been busting my ass for weeks now alright?" She said, trying to shove past Dean. But he stood his ground and now Sam had stood too, the both of them solidly standing side by side.

"So you're just gonna risk your ass for some guy you don't even know?" Dean spat angrily, the fire dancing in his hazel eyes.

"Uhm, _helllooo_ it's what we do _every day_." She pointed out, waving her hands for effect.

"We're just worried, alright? Neither of us like the idea of you alone." Sam said gently, taking a step towards her. She backed up a few feet, starting to feeling like a trapped animal.

"Dude, it's _one guy_. It's not like I'm unarmed. I'll bring my gun with me too, but I'm going." She demanded and Dean slammed a fist against the wall so hard that the picture fell.

"Dammit Savannah. Why won't you just _listen_ for once in your life?! You-don't-know-him. You're not going and I don't care if I have to handcuff you to the car." He threatened and Savannah's rage finally boiled over again.

"You arrogant sonofabitch. Am I supposed to be scared of every stranger I meet? Just because _you_ don't know how to love doesn't meant the rest of us don't. You're not my father and you're sure as _hell_ not my boyfriend. How dare you try and treat me like I'm either." She snapped and she could tell she'd struck a nerve. Sam's mouth was practically touching the floor and Savannah watched as the color slowly drained from Dean's face. His hands were shaking and if she hadn't been so angry, she might have cared how upset he looked.

"Get the _hell_ away from me. You leave this room, and you don't turn around." Dean's voice was barely above a whisper, but the rage behind it was enough for her to grab her things wordlessly and slink from the room.


	9. Gallows Pole

**Chapter 9: Gallows Pole**

Savannah slammed the door closed and took off across the parking lot with one last angry glare towards the motel room. Spite was boiling through her and it was all she could do not to slash the tires on Dean's goddamn Impala. She had 45 minutes to wait until her dinner and she hoped that it was worth it. She slipped quietly into a coffee shop and emerged a few minutes later with a coffee that was more to keep her hands busy than anything else. She was seething at Dean's words. _"Get the __hell__ away from me. You leave this room, and you don't turn around."_ They rattled around in her brain ceaselessly and all she could think about was the night that Sam left for Stanford. That fight had been a vicious battle in the war between John and Sam and Savannah had just watched from the hallway as Sam stormed into the night. It had broken Dean, more than he would let on. Her rage amplified at the sheer thought of that stubborn prick. She kicked a rock angrily as her cellphone rang to life. It was Bobby. She let it ring for a couple seconds before she picked up. She _definitely_ wasn't in the mood for lecturing.

"What do you want, Bobby?" She said impatiently and she didn't have to be there to know that his anger was brimming.

"Where the hell are you?! You _left?_" He hissed and she was starting to regret answering already.

"I didn't leave. He's just like his goddamn father." She grumbled into the phone, feeling like a runaway teenager. She felt the tension lessen as Bobby understood what she meant. He sighed and no doubt took a shot to ease his nerves. She was surprised he hadn't jumped in the car just to kick all their asses.

"Buncha idjits. You're bickering like you're goddamn 15. The both of ya need to grow up." He spat and she bit her lip to keep from losing it on Bobby too. He was just trying to talk some sense into both of them and she knew it.

"I'm a big girl, Bobby. I just want everyone to stop thinking that I can't hold my own." She admitted with anger dripping from her words. Bobby gave an amused chuckle.

"Is _that_ what you think this is about? We know you can hold your own. The issue is that if some guy has bad intentions, there's no telling what he'll do. They're just trying to look after you." He explained, some sympathy mixing in with his anger. She sighed, not wanting to let go of the rage that was still making her heart pump at a million miles an hour.

"Well, I'm not their problem, alright? I'm just going to dinner for Christ's sakes. What's he gonna do, kidnap me?" She half-joked.

"Wouldn't be the first time. Look, all I'm trying to say is keep your guard up. If you get a weird vibe then get the hell outta there." He warned her. She agreed before they ended their conversation. She wandered around aimlessly for the better part of half an hour before making her way to the address Derrick had sent her. The neighborhood was shabby and she had sighed, wondering if they had been right. She paused just outside the building where she was supposedly meeting him. It was dilapidated and she her instincts were telling her to get the hell out of dodge. She had just turned around to head back to the motel when she ran smack into Derrick. She flashed him a smile, not wanting to clue him in that she knew something was up.

"I was hoping you'd show." He said as a menacing smile curled on his lips and his eyes flicked to that soulless, empty black before a blow to the back of the head sent her sprawling. She heard shuffling and tires before the darkness encased her.

WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

It was the dull throb in the back of her head that woke her. She stirred for a second before realizing that she was suspended, her hands tied by bounds she couldn't quite see yet.

"Shit." She mumbled, her voice echoing in the vastness of the empty room. She opened her eyes, squinting for a second as they adjusted to the darkness of the room. It was some sort of warehouse, she figured and she cursed herself quietly for not listening to the boys.

"Good, I see you're awake." The man she thought was Derrick smiled cruelly as he emerged from the darkness. She smirked, hiding the panic that was settling into the pit of her stomach.

"If I knew you were into the whole bondage thing, I would have brought the whipped cream." She said smugly as he cuffed her across the face. The taste of blood poured into her mouth and she looked at him defiantly.

"So you like it rough, huh?" She persisted as he chuckled coldly.

"You have no idea. A few hundred years in the pit will do that to a demon." He said casually as his eyes flicked back to black.

"Yeah, well, you better start packing. You'll be back in hell soon enough." She spat bitterly. He chuckled again and produced a knife, his eyes were cold and Savannah knew what his intentions were. He saw the fear that flashed through her eyes at the sight of it.

"Now, don't tell me that the great Savannah Miller is _scared_ of a widdle knifey?" He mocked and she was quiet. She looked around, trying to form some sort of plan.

"You're as pathetic as your father." Derrick continued and she fought against her binds at the mention of her Daddy.

"Don't you say a _word_ about my father, you sonofabitch." She hissed wrathfully at him and he smiled at her reaction.

"Now now, my dear girl. Let's not get into the name calling. I was hoping to keep this civilized after all." He said casually, pacing in front of her.

"Go to hell." She whispered as he stepped closer to her. He waved the blade in front of her face, watching with delight as her eyes widened.

"That's not very nice to say to the demon with a knife." He murmured, slicing it into her chest. She gasped at the pain as it soared through her, and she had to fight the tears that were forming.

"What the hell do you want?" She asked, her voice loud and demanding. She could feel the blood as it trickled down her tank top.

"Sam Winchester. Azazel thinks it's time to collect his..creations..if you will." Derrick said and Savannah felt her face wrinkle in confusion.

"Well, you tell that son of a bitch that Sam declines." She said harshly as a million thoughts fluttered through her minds. She was bait. She kicked herself for not seeing it now. They would use her, knowing that the boys would come running if she was in trouble.

"He thought you'd say that. And he wants you to know that you're expendable." Derrick said with a blow to her gut. She struggled to breathe as the pain was sailing through her.

"They won't come. They'll know it's a trap." She bluffed, knowing fully well that they'd come rushing in anyways. She was family after all and it was the Winchester way to never leave anyone behind.

"Then we'll just have to up the stakes, now won't we?" He said as the knife pierced her stomach. The white hot pain seared through her and she cried out. Derrick's eyes were full of malevolent joy at her suffering as he pulled the blade from her.

"I can't wait to watch them send you back to Hell. I'm getting myself a front row seat." She said between pained breaths. Derrick just smirked at her as he picked up her phone. She struggled hard to force her vision straight as a thick spot of blood formed just under her shirt. This wasn't going to get any better.

"No, No. Hello Dean. Savannah's…tied up at the moment." Derrick said into the phone and the panic was gripping her now.

"IT'S A TRAP! THEY WANT SAMMY!" She screamed loudly, causing the birds in the rafters to scramble away. Derrick sent another blow across her face and she felt the blood as it poured from her nose.

"Well, then I guess we're at a stalemate. I want your brother, and you want your little girlfriend. Fine then, have it your way. Savannah and I were just getting started anyways." He said haughtily, flipping her phone off before smashing it onto the ground. Savannah braced herself as Derrick came striding up to her, his intent set clearly on his face as the knife stuck the light just before it came crashing down into her once again.


	10. Nobody's Fault but Mine

**Chapter 10: Nobody's Fault but Mine**

An hour later, Savannah had barely managed to keep conscious despite Derrick's continuous torture. The pain was making her focus fuzzy and she fought to keep from blacking out. She had to stay awake, in case Derrick decided to try anything else. This was her mess, and she be damned if she let anyone else get hurt because of it.

"I know something you don't know." Derrick sang cheerfully, wiping her blood off the knife.

"Someone's more awesome than Chuck Norris?" She said sarcastically, her words draped in anguish.

"You're so funny, it pains me. No, my little secret has to do with your father." He said happily. She lifted her head to look at him, not sure if he was actually telling the truth. Demons were more than known for messing around with your head.

"Bullshit. You don't know shit about my father." She spat at him.

"Oh, I know a lot about your father. I know that he cried and _pleaded_ when I came to collect his soul. You should have heard him. "But-but my girl." So pathetic." He mocked and Savannah struggled feebly against the rope, ignoring the agony that it sent down her arms.

"SHUT UP." She howled and Derrick let out a loud laugh.

"It's was a beautiful deal, really. His soul for your life. I wonder if that's where dear old John Winchester came up with the idea." Derrick jeered and Savannah was still at his words. The pain of losing John was still fresh in all of them, even though it'd been 7 months since he died. Savannah pushed off the emotions that were flooding through her.

"What's this? You didn't _know_ that your father saved your life? Well, how could you? You weren't even born when that "drunk driver" hit your mother's car." He said and Savannah's rage flowed over. The adrenaline numbed her and she half-heartedly lunged at him. Derrick just smiled before he continued.

"Of course, your Daddy dearest was so distraught about it when he got there; his pregnant wife lying limp on the road while the paramedics called her time of death. He was more than willing to give his soul for you, his only child." Derrick continued and Savannah's mind was humming. She didn't want to believe him, but her gut told her that he might just be telling the truth about it. There were other ways to mindfuck her and they both knew it. She wanted to destroy him herself. She wanted to make sure that his bastard never saw the light of day again. Slowly, she started chanting the words she knew better than her own name.

"Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satanica-"She started before another crack across the face stopped her cold. Derrick waved a finger at her as he tsked.

"Naughty, naughty. Can't have you exorcising me before the _real _party starts, now can we?" He said as he gagged her. If looks could kill, Savannah would have murdered him ten times over by now. She was teeming with self-hatred right now. She had let her guard down and now the boys were in trouble. She should have seen right through it all. It was too easy, too convenient. She owed Dean a million slices of pie when she saw him again…_if_ she saw him again. She just hoped that they weren't stupid enough to come barging in here like she knew they would.

"Now, where were we?" Derrick said, slicing the knife through the skin of her upper torso. She gasped, just before the world went black again.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx

It was the shuffling of feet that roused her from the darkness. They were softer than Derrick's and she struggled to open her eyes. Her vision was fuzzy as the waves of hurt flowed through her. She wanted the darkness to take her again.

"It's alright Van. We're here." She was vaguely aware of Sam's voice floating to her, like he was far away. She tried to speak as she felt hands gently guide her to the ground.

"S-s-" She sputtered before someone shushed her. She could faintly hear chanting as she forced herself to stay awake. The voices were getting clearer now and she could tell for sure that it was Sam who was cradling her head in his lap.

"Savannah?! Can you hear me?" His breathing was erratic and she could hear the terror as it flooded out of his words. She opened her eyes again and Sam's face was overflowed with joy at the fact that she wasn't dead. She had to admit, she was pretty surprised at the fact that she was alive. She opened her mouth to talk but Sam quieted her again.

"Shhh. It's alright. We're gonna get you outta here." He whispered as Dean's face hovered anxiously behind him.

"She's..alive…right?" Dean asked fearfully as he inspected her. His face was pale and he looked like he was on the verge of tears. Savannah made a note to thoroughly kiss both of their asses for the next 3 months, _at least._

"She's alive, Dean. Did you take care of Derrick? We shouldn't stay here long." Sam warned as she closed her eyes again. The boys were here and she was safe now. She was scooped up into arms and she felt a lurching sensation that could only be walking. She tried to move, but every muscle screamed in protest. This really had been a close call and she knew it. Dean grunted as he repositioned her and she felt the cool air sweep across her face. A car door opened and the smell of the Impala overwhelmed her and she knew now that she was really okay. She caught Dean's arm as he laid her down in the back seat.

"Dean…..Dean I'm-" She started before he held up a hand.

"You can be sorry when this is over." He said tenderly before hopping into the car himself. The car rumbled to life and she could hear the boys as they talked in the front seat.

"What the hell was he talking about? Creations?" Dean's voice fluttered past her ears. She wondered hazily how long she'd been gone, but the words wouldn't form in her mouth.

"I don't know Dean. But I'm not really worried about that right now." Sam said as Savannah struggled to sit herself upright. Both the boys cast her a worry ridden glance as she did and she stopped for a minute to let herself rest.

"Sammy, lay her back down." Dean commanded and Savannah shook her head as Sam turned around to help her. She forced herself to talk, each word sending a surge of pain through her. She was in rough shape, that much was true.

"They wanted you Sammy. Yellow Eyes wanted you." She said through winded breaths. Dean eyed her down in the rear view as she continued.

"He said he wanted to-" She grimaced as she shifted slightly. "Collect his creations." The boys traded uneasy looks as they pulled up into the motel.

"We'll worry about that later. C'mon Van, let's get you inside." Sammy said as he gently lifted her from the car. They made it inside and Dean checked the room from top to bottom three times before he would even look at her. Savannah was tired, but she forced herself to keep her eyes open. The room was too quiet and she wished that they would say _something_ at least. But they just quietly sat there, the emotions clearly plastered on their faces. She shifted in the bed and a grunt of pain slipped past her lips. Dean was at her side in a second, his gorgeous hazel eyes tainted with concern. She smiled the best she could.

"I'm alright." She reassured him as he shot her an unsure look before plopping himself at the table. Sam brought out the ice bucket that was now full of warm water and a washcloth. She flinched a few times as he started to wash the blood from her. Sam's face dropped when he saw the stab wounds on her stomach. She didn't need to see them to know that they were bad. In all honesty, she probably should have gone to the hospital, but she was glad they had known better. Savannah could deal with vampires and ghosts and anything else that went bump in the night. Hell, she could even deal with clowns, but Savannah Miller was terrified of hospitals. It was the smell and the squeaky white floors, the sounds of death and chaos that made her shudder at the very thought of them. She let Sam clean her up as best he could. She could tell that her right eye was swelling and she had probably dislocated her shoulder, but it was the look in Sam's eyes that hurt her the most. She could barely look at him without feeling guilty. She had acted like a child and she had almost died as a result. Hell, even worse, she had almost gotten Sammy killed.

"I'm sorry Sammy. I didn't know." She whispered regretfully. Sam sent her a warm smile.

"That's right, you didn't know. No one's blaming you." He said as Savannah heard Dean on the phone.

"Yeah, Bobby. We found her. She's in pretty rough shape and it's gonna take a while for the wounds to heal." Dean said, casting a glance in her direction. She glued her eyes to the floor, ashamed at what she'd done. She didn't know how she was going to make it up to them, but she was sure as hell going to try. Dean was quiet as Bobby was probably yammering his ear off.

"No. Demon said something about Yellow eyes though….Yeah…collecting his creations? I don't know, I was just glad she was still breathing when we got there." He said before nodding.

"Yeah, she's awake. Alright." He said as he handed her the phone. She gave him an anxious look before she put it to her ear.

"Van? You alright?" Bobby's voice was soaked in desperate fear.

"Yeah. Just feel kind of stupid." She mumbled into the phone, shooting a look at the boys. Their eyes were pinned on her and she wished they'd at least pretend that she didn't look horrible.

"Ya should ya idjit. Just take it easy and let yourself heal before ya go rushin back to the job, alright? And count your blessings while you're at it. You've got some friends in high places, I bet." He scolded and she just agreed like an obedient puppy. She didn't argue with him on the last part. The fact that she'd managed to make it out alive was a pretty big miracle.


	11. Bring It On Home

**Chapter 11: Bring It On Home**

The room hummed with quiet concern and Savannah didn't have the strength to argue with the anxious looks Sam and Dean were sending her. Her mind was reeling with what Derrick had said about her father. She had tried to convince herself that he was lying, but the gut feeling in her stomach told her that he'd been telling the truth. She closed her eyes and gave a long sigh as she tried to get a grip on her swirling emotions. When she opened them, Dean was standing next to her, offering her a glass of water and some Advil. She gave him a feeble smile as she took it.

"Got anything stronger?" She asked, surprised at how weak her voice sounded. Dean smiled slightly and poured her a shot. She took it and the room fell quiet again. Sam rose, donning his jacket while mumbling something about going to get food before he vanished out the door. Dean sat on the edge of the bed, just looking at her. His face was littered with stress and worry and Savannah's heart ached at the sight of it. She wanted nothing more than to take that look off his face. Her whole life, Dean had been her best friend. They'd shared every waking moment since she was 10 and she knew him well enough to know that it wasn't just the night's events that were weighing on him. She knew that under that hard exterior he put up, that he was still the same little boy that just wanted to protect his family. She knew he had taken the loss of John harder than anyone and the guilt of John's deal was killing him. The stress of Sam's visions had been apparent since the very first one, everyone had known that. She also knew Dean well enough to know that trying to get him to talk about it wouldn't do any good. The pain would flash across his eyes before he pushed it back down and covered it with a snarky remark and a long sip from a bottle. Their eyes locked and in the 15 years that she spent by his side, she'd never seen him so scared.

"I thought you weren't coming back." He whispered, his bottom lip ever so slightly trembling. It was times like these that she finally got to see the _real_ Dean. The one that only came out after a long night at the bar or the rare times when there was too much going on inside of him. She waved him onto her bed and wrapped her damaged arms around him, ignoring the shooting pain it sent up them.

"I always come home, Dean. You know that." She did her best to comfort him and he was careful as he held her to him. Savannah eased herself onto Dean's chest, feeling his heartbeat as it drummed into her ears. Savannah's life was constantly changing from one second to the next. And in a life where nothing stayed the same, the boys had been her one constant variable. They were the anchor keeping her tethered when life's storms got too bad.

"But what if you didn't? What would we have done? What would _I _have done?" He wondered, more to himself than her. His voice was shaking and she knew that he was fighting a hard battle to keep his emotions in check. She propped herself up with some difficulty and sent him a stern look.

"You would have kept fighting, like you always do." She whispered quietly to him. He looked at her, knowing fully well that's exactly what he would have done. Because that's what Dean did, he fought on, through monsters, through pain, through hurt. It was all he knew anymore and Savannah wished that it wasn't. It wasn't fair to Dean, it never had been, but that was the past and she couldn't worry about that now.

"I guess so. But what does it all mean? Sam's visions, yellow eyes, everything…" He sighed, staring at the dingy ceiling. She sighed and laid her head back on Dean's chest, unable to answer the question that humans had been asking since the beginning of time.

"I dunno Dean. I dunno." She said and they laid in a contented silence for a while, both of their minds wandering as Dean played with Savannah's hair absentmindedly. Savannah's thoughts slipped to her father again and she wondered what her life would be like if he had lived. She wondered if she'd be as close to the boys, and to Bobby. She doubted it, in all honesty. It's not like hunters were known for having "packs." Her father had been a bit of a loner in his years and Savannah had really only seen any of them when something was really bad. She pushed back a sob when she realized that she wouldn't be here if her father was still alive. She would have died, unborn in her mother's stomach on that day in September. Dean propped himself on his elbow and looked at her as she forced herself not to cry.

"Hey, what's the matter?" Dean said, his voice tender at the sight of her.

"He talked about my dad, Dean. Talked about the night he died." She said as a tear escaped her and made its way down her cheek.

"He was lying, Van. Demons do that from time to time." He said softly as he reached over and wiped the tear away. She shook her head at him.

"No, he wasn't. The things he said…they…they were the same things that I heard in my dreams. I've had a few more and they're about my dad and his soul….and….he told me why he made the deal." She told him, her voice barely audible now. Dean had opened his mouth to talk, and then closed it again, unsure of what to say.

"He did it for me, Dean. To save me. When my mom died in that accident, I was still in her stomach…" She trailed off before her bottom lip quivered uncontrollably. If anyone could understand the guilt she was feeling, it was Dean. Sam and Savannah had both known that John's deal had torn Dean apart. He'd told them a thousand times that what was dead should stay dead. Dean put a hand to her face and his eyes took a tone of understanding.

"It's rough, I know. But we just have to make sure that they didn't die in vain." He said strongly. She nodded, mulling over his words. She laid back on the bed, wrestling with herself on what to do next. They still had a job to do and for all they knew, another kid was being drained right at that very moment. Injured or not, she couldn't let that happen. She struggled to get herself up from the bed, waving off Dean's hands as he tried to stop her.

"No, we still have a job to do Dean." She said, forcing her aching legs to move. She sat at the table and pried open an old book, doing her best to focus on the words. Dean sighed as he looked at her, shaking his head.

"Let me and Sam worry about all that. You just need to get some rest." He argued but she shook her head.

"I'm not just going to lie around and let those kids get hurt, Dean." She retorted as Sam came in, giving her a look of surprise.

"You let her get up?" Sam said to Dean, who shrugged halfheartedly.

"I couldn't stop her, Sam. What am I supposed to do, chain her to the bed?" Dean said, a hint of anger to his words. She shot them both an annoyed look.

"I'm still here, you know." She said, flinching in pain as she moved too fast. Sam shook his head as he dumped the bag of food onto the table in front of her.

"No. Oh no. You're going to get your ass back in bed, and _you're _going to make sure she doesn't move." Sam said sternly, gently yanking her up from the table and guiding her towards the bed. She would have argued normally, but the look on Sam's face was a mixture of concern and seriousness. There was no use fighting him. She settled herself in and quietly took the food that Sam handed her. The overwhelming pain gave her no appetite and she left her food untouched. The quiet seemed to intensify her pain and her whole body was screaming at her. She was suddenly aware that just sitting up seemed like a difficult task and she was scared for a second that she was going to pass out again. She tried to shift herself, letting out a whimper of pain as she did. Dean instantly was at her side, helping her move and giving her more pillows.

"Just get some sleep, alright? It's been a long day for everyone." He cooed at her and she groggily nodded and gave him a lazy smile before she closed her eyes. Sam and Dean chattered on as she fell asleep, their words lost on her hazy mind. The last thing to spin through her head before she drifted off to sleep, was Dean's heartbeat, drumming into her ears.


	12. Thank You

**Chapter 12: Thank You**

By the time Savannah had woken up, the sun was blazing in through the drawn curtains of the motel. She rolled over, inhaling sharply as the first wave of pain rolled through her like lightening. The room was too quiet and she opened one eye sluggishly to grab the paper with Dean's handwriting scribbled on it.

_"Vannie, The girl's out of her coma. Went to go check it out. We'll be back soon. Bobby says to call when you get up . STAY PUT."_

She threw it back on the small table and noticed that they'd set everything up for her already. A pitcher of water, a bag of food, the remote and her cell all sat next to each other and she cracked as much of a smile as she could with her swollen face. She rolled onto her back and reached for the phone, dialing Bobby's number with one hand.

"Mornin' there, sunshine. How ya feelin'?" Bobby said, his tone suspiciously cheerful. She groaned and shifted herself more into the bed.

"Like I got my ass handed to me." She mumbled, tenderly touching a hand to her face. Bobby let out a chuckle and she was beginning to wonder if he was drunk.

"Well, that happens when you try and date a demon. Speaking of which, the boys tell me that you two had quite the conversation." Bobby said, his voice now serious. Of course Dean would tell Bobby about their conversation last night. Bobby knew everything, whether he wanted to or not.

"Yeah. He told me my dad sold his soul to keep me alive after my mom got hit by that drunk driver." She recapped as she popped more Advil. She eyed down the food, knowing she should probably make herself eat at some point. The phone rustled as Bobby shifted it.

"Hate to say it, but he wasn't lying." Bobby said regretfully. Savannah closed her eyes, fighting the emotions as they seeped through her. She'd been searching for answers her whole life, and now she didn't like what she'd found. Maybe some questions were better left unanswered after all.

"He shouldn't have done that." She said finally, struggling to keep her composure.

"He loved you, kid. That's all you need to remember." Bobby said affectionately and Savannah swallowed hard.

"Yeah. I know he did." She whispered, wiping away the tears that were forming in her eyes. She was starting to wish one of the boys had stayed behind now. She could use the company. It was quiet for a minute and she cleared her throat, doing her best to calm herself.

"So, what's up with the case then?" She asked and she could hear Bobby shuffle some papers around.

"According to the police, the girl woke up out of her coma at 9 this morning." He said, sounding like he was reading off of something. Savannah glanced at the clock that told her it was 11:35 am.

"Her story is the same as the others. Said she was attacked by an old lady." Bobby continued and this case was really beginning to piss her off. Usually, their cases were simple. A vengeful spirit, maybe a vampire or even a demon, but this? This wasn't anything they'd ever seen before. She knew this was bad when even _Bobby_ didn't have a clue. Bobby knew everything! Savannah sighed in frustration.

"Goddamnit! What the hell is this thing?" She said a little too enthusiastically. She gasped at the pain in her side as the warm trickle of blood pooled underneath her shirt.

"Van? Ya alright?" Bobby's voice shrank to blatant concern and she gritted her teeth against the pain of the wound she'd just reopened before answering.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Just moved too quickly, that's all." She said, doing her best to keep the throbbing ache from tainting her words.

"Take it easy now, Van. The boys will be back soon." Bobby fussed, and she wished that she was at his house right now. Like the boys, Bobby was also a permanent fixture in her ever changing world. She knew he fretted about them when they weren't there. She promised to take care of herself as the conversation ended. Immediately, she called Dean. She hated being left behind like this. She felt helpless and she hoped that there was some way she could be useful in all of this.

"Hey. How're you feeling?" Dean answered halfway through the first ring. If Savannah knew Dean, he'd been glancing at his phone since they left waiting for her to call. He couldn't help it, worrying was just in his nature.

"I'm _fine_, Dean. I haven't even gotten out of bed yet." She reassured him, starting to count the tiles on the ceiling. She was up to 11 before he disrupted her.

"Good. Stay that way. Sammy and I are on our way back now." He said before he hung up. She threw the phone beside her and started flipping through the channels on the TV. The boredom was already starting to creep up on her and she wondered how long she would be stuck here. She sighed after a few minutes, pulling the blankets back and gingerly making her way to the mirror that hung next to the TV. She ignored the fact that her face looked like she'd gone up against Muhammad Ali and lost. She grunted as she lifted up her shirt to reveal the real damage. Her stomach was more carved up than a Sunday ham and she gasped at the sight of it. It was red, and angry and the ache was enough to make her vision fuzzy again. She found the gash that had popped open, the blood dripping down her stomach at a snail's pace. She shuffled awkwardly into the bathroom and started cleaning herself up just as the boys spilled into the room.

"Savannah?!" She heard Dean call out panicked before she had a chance to talk. She cut off the water and emerged behind them, her steps labored.

"Calm yourself. I'm right here." She said, managing a slight smile. Dean's face relaxed and Savannah let Sam clean and bandage her wounds, doing her best not to let the pain show. They already looked exhausted and she didn't want them worrying about her on top of everything else. She noticed the bags underneath of both their eyes. She wondered how long they'd been up last night. Dean ushered her back to bed and she grabbed the sleeve of his jacket before he turned away.

"I just wanted to thank you…both of you. For saving my ass. You were right and I should have listened." She admitted, watching as the boys traded absolving looks before they gave her a tender smile.

"You don't have to thank us, you would have done the same thing. That's what family's for." Dean said nonchalantly. Savannah smiled slightly at Dean's words. It was clear to anyone who saw the three of them that they were family in the truest form. Savannah had never felt like an outsider growing up with the Winchesters. John had done his best to keep her included in everything the boys had done and she could never repay him for that. Savannah had to admit, she hadn't been a fan of how Dean was forced to be a solider, or how Sammy was constantly kept in the dark about what John really did. But she always kept her mouth closed on the subject. She loved John almost as much as Sam and Dean. She couldn't imagine where she would have ended up if he hadn't taken her in all those years ago. He had always looked at her like she was one of his own and she knew that "Thank you" would never even come close. The image of his face as he walked into Dean's hospital room would forever be burned into her memory. Whether she would admit it or not, she knew she'd lost a father that day too. Those wounds were still fresh in her memory and she knew they weren't healing anytime soon. All they had was each other now. She cast a look at the boys, both of them happily munching away at food as they argued over something that probably didn't matter. They were both happy, for the first time in a while and Savannah wondered what life would be like without them. It was something she knew she didn't ever want to find out. Her thoughts slipped back to Derrick, and his mention of Yellow Eyes. The way he'd talked about "collecting his creations" made it sound like Sammy wasn't the only one with visions. She didn't know what he was planning, or what exactly Derrick had been talking about, but she knew one thing for sure; if anything happened to Sam, those demons better hope that Savannah found them before Dean. It was Dean's sole purpose in life to keep Sam safe and he would make sure that happened come hell or high water. Dean would do anything to make sure Sam was okay. He loved his brother more than anything on the planet, pie included. And that was saying something, because Dean Winchester loved his pie.


	13. Sick Again

**Chapter 13: Sick Again**

Savannah had been digging through books for the better part of two hours now. She pushed away the headache that was creeping into the back on her head and forced herself to focus on the words that were all blending together. It was almost 2 in the afternoon and her injuries were screaming at her to rest, but she refused and pushed herself to keep going. She flipped to another chapter of the thick book she was reading and took another sip of the cold coffee that was sitting beside her. Dean stood, and she watched him stretch from the corner of her eye.

"I don't know about you two, but I'm starving!" He said, rubbing his stomach. Savannah rolled her eyes at him as she closed the book, the smell of its worn pages drifting past her nose. Sam pinched the bridge of his nose and yawned before looking at his brother.

"We only ate like 3 hours ago, Dean. How could you possibly be hungry?" He snapped at his brother and Dean planted a smirk on his face.

"Easily. I'm a growing boy, Sammy. I need my nourishment." Dean said and Sam shot another annoyed look at his brother's quip. Savannah leaned back against the headboard and let out a quiet exhale. She reached over and grabbed the bottle of Advil, popping two more before she opened her eyes. Dean was eyeing her down nervously.

"Dude, that's like the 10th today. You should probably cool it." He noted as he slipped on his jacket and grabbed the keys to his beloved car. She shrugged as he gave her another disapproving look and left. She looked at Sam, noticing the faraway look in his eyes that said something was bothering him. He'd been pretty grumpy all day and Savannah hadn't quite gotten used to the mood swings he was having.

"You alright, Sammy?" She asked gently, trying to figure out what was wrong with him. He watched the Impala peel out of the parking lot.

"I'm _fine._" He spat at her, looking at his phone anxiously for the 20th time that hour. She rolled her eyes at the younger Winchester and quelled her anger, reminding herself that they were all overworked at the moment. She busied herself in another worn book, glancing at him from the corner of her eye. He looked restless and it struck her as odd. Usually, Sam had the patience of a saint. It was Dean that couldn't sit still for more than 10 minutes. She brushed it off to stress and went back to reading until his phone went off 5 minutes later. He jumped up from his chair and ignored the look that had settled on her face. Something was off about him and she didn't like it one bit.

"I'll be right back, just tell Dean I went for a walk. I won't be long." He said quickly as he threw his jacket on and bolted from the room. Savannah waited for a minute before sliding into her boots and hobbling after him. She wanted to see the reason behind Sam's hastiness. She gritted her teeth against the surge of pain that ricocheted through her and forced herself to catch up to him. She rounded the corner of the parking lot, keeping a good distance behind the two of them. He threw a suspicious glance over his shoulder and ducked down another street. Savannah's strength was fading, but she pushed on and followed suit. They were only a few blocks away from the motel when she watched Sam turn down an alley way. She wondered what he could possibly be doing as her phone rang to life.

"Where the hell are you two?" Dean's voice was plagued with worried and she grimaced, leaning up against a building.

"I'm three blocks east. I was following Sammy…" She said, throwing an unsure look in the direction of where Sam had disappeared.

"Well, stay right there. I'm coming to pick you up." He said quickly and she rested her head against the building, taking in the breeze as it swept across her face. She walked to the alley that Sam had turned down and found it empty. The purr of the Impala caught her attention as Dean rolled up beside her. He hopped out of the car and helped her into the front seat. She cast another look towards the alley as they pulled away and Dean snapped his phone shut angrily.

"He's not answering, wherever he is." He sighed and Savannah could see the anxiety as it settled on his face.

"He got a text and then he just left." She explained, her voice littered with the ache of her various injuries. Dean's fear slipped away at the sound of it and his eyes were hazel pools of concern.

"You should have let me worry about that, Van. You need to be resting." He said as they made their way back to the motel.

"I didn't want to lose him. Something's wrong with him, Dean." She said fearfully. Sam had been slowly changing since his first vision and it wasn't like him to keep secrets from either of them.

"I know." Dean said simply, his face conveying the emotions that were buzzing through him. It was clear enough that Dean didn't know how to deal with this either. They were losing their grip on Sam and both of them had pushed down that nagging feeling that something was about to happen. Something big. Savannah waved off Dean's hands as they rolled to a stop in front of the motel. She limped inside, perching herself on the edge of the bed and accepted the shot that Dean handed to her. The whiskey exploded into her stomach and she relished the warmth as it surged through her. The room filled with a strained silence and Savannah jumped at the sudden ring of Dean's phone. His face was hopeful as he answered.

"Sammy?! Oh, hey Bobby. No, Sam just disappeared….yeah…disappeared. No, I'm going to do that now. Yeah. No we haven't heard anything. Yeah, Vannie's fine. Alright…..alright….thanks, Bobby." He said as he flipped open Sam's laptop and if Savannah guessed, he was turning on the GPS in Sam's phone. Dean tapped his foot impatiently as it loaded and Savannah didn't know what to do. Times like this she'd learned to just wait for him to ask for help. He didn't mean to snap on her, and she knew it. Sam was the most important thing in Dean's life and he always got worried when his brother wasn't in his sight. Savannah remembered the emptiness his eyes had shown after Sam had gone to Stanford. It was like keeping Sam safe was his sole purpose. He was lost without Sam and this all was killing him, without a doubt. Savannah chewed on the inside of her lip, watching Dean with loving eyes. She wished he would just cut the crap and tell her what was really going on inside that head of his.

"Where's it say he is?" She asked after a pause and Dean traced the map with a finger.

"About 5 blocks west of here." He said frankly. Savannah dialed Sam's number again and got his voicemail straight away. She sighed as the beep signaled her to start talking.

"Hey Sammy. It's me. Just want to know when you're getting back from that walk of yours. Call me." She slid the phone onto the desk and heaved herself up from the bed with some difficulty. She teetered into the bathroom and splashed some cold water on her face, trying to ease away the worry that felt like it was sitting on her chest. She eyed herself down in the mirror, pulling her hair back to inspect herself closer. Her eye was still swollen, her green eye peeking out from behind it. She chuckled slightly as she left the bathroom, knowing this was just another day on the job.

"You hungry?" She asked him as she made her way out of the bathroom on shaky legs. She was hoping to divert his attention for even just a second. He shook his head but she laid out the food anyways, knowing he'd cave at some point.

"No. But you should really eat." He said with a nod to the sandwich in her hand. She sighed and lowered herself carefully into the chair and obliged his request. She wasn't really hungry but she knew he was right. She had to keep her strength up as best she could. She ate, watching Dean as he paced back and forth for the next 20 minutes. She knew he wanted nothing more than to start looking for Sam. Anger was slowly starting to replace the worry in his face. Savannah could tell that the tension that had been building between the two of them was about to explode and she made a note to keep out of the way. Fights between the two of them were vicious and usually resulted in someone storming out, returning some time later. She had just opened her mouth to suggest Dean turn on the magic fingers he loved so much when Sam came strolling in through the door. Dean was up in a flash and standing in front of Sam before she could even blink.

"You mind telling me where the hell you wandered off to?" Dean hissed as his brother. Sam's eyes shone defiantly as he took off his jacket.

"Just for a walk." He said, trying to push his way past Dean, but he stood solidly in place.

"A walk my ass! Savannah followed you! Dark alley ways? Random texts? This isn't like you, Sammy." Dean's voice faded from anger back to worry. All Dean wanted was Sam to stop shutting him out so much. Sam turned to Savannah, rage radiating from his eyes.

"You _followed_ me? What, now I'm under surveillance?" He spat angrily at her.

"Sam, I don't know what you're up to, but I was just trying to make sure you were okay." She tried reasoning with him. But it just seemed to make him more upset.

"Up to? I'm not up to anything! And even if I was, it wouldn't be either of your business what I do with my life." He huffed, crossing his arms childishly. Dean's anger boiled at Sam's sentence and Savannah was worried that he was going to have a heart attack with the look on his face.

"None of _our_ business? What the hell's gotten into you these last few weeks?! You start having visions and all of a sudden it's like you don't need us." He exploded, slamming a hand down angrily on the table.

"Maybe I don't. I've seen the way you look at me. Like I'm some kind of freak. I'm not 7 anymore, Dean. I don't need you to watch out for me." Sam said maliciously and Dean had taken a few menacing steps toward his brother, his fists clenched so tight that his knuckles were white. Savannah jumped up and put herself between them as she put a hand on Dean's chest, pushing him back a few steps.

"You're not a freak, Sam. But you have to let us in. We're just trying to understand." She said sympathetically as Sam's eyes bore into hers. She could see the rage in him as it burst to life.

"You can never understand what it's like. You think I _like_ have these things? You think it's _fun_ for me?!" He exploded and Savannah kept her hand on Dean's chest.

"I wouldn't know. Since you never talk about them!" Dean huffed angrily and Savannah turned around to give him an annoyed look. Sam sighed and grabbed his jacket from the chair next to him.

"I don't need this right now." He mumbled before slamming the door closed. Savannah closed her eyes and braced herself against the back of a chair. The ripping sensation in her side was almost unbearable and it made her catch her breath.

"You're bleeding!" Dean said and she felt his hands rip her shirt up to reveal the source. One of the bigger gashes on the right side of her stomach had popped open when she had stood up. The blood was pouring down her stomach and the pain was enough to make her nauseous. She just stood there, dumbfounded as Dean rushed her to the bed and rifled through a bag to grab up a needle and dental floss. She was going into shock and it was like the ceiling was getting further and further away. She could barely hear Dean's voice as it floated past her ears.

"Stay with me. Hey…Hey! Keep those eyes open!" He commanded and the blatant panic in his eyes was unlike anything she'd ever heard before. She barely even felt the pain as he stitched her up. She was floating, doing her best to keep herself awake. Shock was a nasty thing and she knew she had to keep it together for Dean. Between the fight with Sam and having to stitch her up, he was a mess right now. She felt him crawl into bed next to her and she reached out, grabbing his hand. Her mind was fuzzy, but the only thing that floated through the haze was the warmth of Dean's hand in hers.


	14. Whole Lotta Love

**Chapter 14: Whole Lotta Love**

Savannah felt Dean get up, her vision dulled by the pain slowly spreading through her entire body. Sam had been gone for close to 3 hours and she could feel Dean's nerves from across the room. She'd been in and out of consciousness since Dean had stitched her up and she fought the urge to drift back to sleep. Shit had hit the fan and she couldn't let Dean do this alone. Finally, Dean's voice broke the empty silence of the room.

"Sam's gone, Bobby. We got into it pretty bad and now I can't find him." He sounded lost. She heard him restlessly pacing in front of the window.

"Vannie's a mess and I had to stitch her up. She's sleeping now. But I have to look for him, Bobby. He's not right and I can't leave him alone, not now." Dean said and his voice was steeped with conviction. Savannah opened her eyes, watching Dean peek anxiously out the window. He didn't know what to do and the stress was written all over his face. Despite her body's protests she tried to sit up, falling back down a second later as the pain ripped through her. Dean spun around at the sound of movement and he rushed to her side, gently easing her back down.

"She's awake. I'm putting you on speaker." Dean said as he set the phone down and perched on the edge of the bed.

"One thing at a time now. I'm jumping on the next flight down there and we'll figure this all out." Bobby's soothing voice floated from the receiver. Savannah knew it could be good if Bobby was flying instead of driving.

"Alright. Just call me when you land. And thanks….for everything…" Dean hesitated.

"Don't mention it. Just keep an eye on Savannah and for the love of God _don't_ go looking for him on your own. I don't need two idjits to look after." Bobby said before he hung up. He wouldn't be there for a few hours and Savannah watched Dean run a hand through his hair. She put her hand on his knee gently.

"He'll be back, Dean. He always comes back, you know that." She reassured him, her voice coming out weakly. He gave her a half hearted smile.

"He shouldn't be out here alone, Vannie. Not if Yellow Eyes is looking for him. If something happens…" He trailed off guiltily. His attentions were already elsewhere as scenarios flickered through his head. Savannah pushed away the throbbing in her head. She had to keep it together.

"Don't say that. He's just butthurt. He'll be back soon." She did her best to comfort him. Every word was exhausting and she wanted nothing more than to fall asleep. Dean was eyeing her down when she opened her eyes again. She would have done anything to put a smile on his somber face.

"You alright?" He asked as she grimaced. She nodded and made herself smile.

"I'm okay Dean. Don't you worry about me." She said, forcing her words to sound casual. She knew he wasn't buying it one bit but he let it be. The only thing on his mind right now was Sammy. She couldn't blame him for it. Truthfully, she was just as scared as he was about this whole thing. Sam could be pretty determined when he set his mind to something. He'd been changing for a while now and it was only a matter of time before something like this happened. She just wished she knew what he was up to. She wished he would open up and talk to her about what was going on inside his head. Savannah and Sam had always had that kind of relationship. They could talk to each other about everything. Because let's face it, Dean wasn't good with emotions. His idea of an "emotional conversation" was debating Star Wars versus Star Trek.

Since his visions had started, Sam and Savannah's middle of the night talks about life had happened less and less. Dean went into the bathroom and she heard the shower start running. She laid quietly for a few minutes before she reached for her phone and dialed Sam's number. As usual, it went straight to the voicemail and Savannah inhaled as she heard the beep.

"Hey Sammy. Listen, I don't know what's going on with you and I know I can't understand exactly, but I'm willing to try if you are. I-I love you Sammy and I'm just trying to make sure you're alright. You don't even have to talk to Dean if you don't want to, but I'm asking you to at least call me. We're both worried sick. Just be careful, alright Sammy?" She rambled on for a few seconds before she realized it and hung up before letting out a long sigh. She threw the phone next to her and flipped on the TV, barely paying attention to whatever show was on at the moment. Her thoughts were racing at a million miles an hour and it was making her head spin. She touched a hand gingerly to her stitches and wondered what it was that Yellow Eyes had in store for them. If she were completely honest, part of her was worried that Sam was just going to give into him. The thought was usually pushed to the back of her mind because it was ridiculous. Sam was better than that. He was a Winchester after all and John had raised his boys to be fighters.

Right now, Savannah wanted nothing more than to go back to when things were simpler; to when they were just kids and the only knowledge they had of hunting was the stories they heard. She wanted to go back to when the biggest problem they had was going to a new school or how to sneak out of Bobby's second floor window without getting caught. Her favorite memory, the one she always drifted back to when things got rough, was the summer she turned 14. They were in some shitty little town in Tennessee and the three of them were hanging out at the local lake. Sam was only 11 and his face was buried where it usually was, in between the pages of some random book. Dean and Savannah were sitting on the rickety dock, watching the clouds pass by aimlessly. It was the only time she could ever remember feeling completely content. Dean had made some cheesy joke and she laughed like she always did before his eyes had wandered to the girls that were running around.

It was that moment, that one clear moment, that she had realized that she didn't need a house or a Sunday dinner or whatever it was that normal people did with their lives. She realized that her life just wasn't meant to be normal, and it was also in that moment that she realized that she didn't _want_ to be normal. Albeit, the hunter's lifestyle was anything but luxurious, but it was new and exciting and fun. The amount of trouble the three of them had gotten themselves into was vast and she had lost count of the times that John had yelled at them for it.

But it was that second of clarity that she understood that as long as she had Sam and Dean, she would always be home. And neither of them had changed much, sure, Sam had gotten a little bit taller, and Dean's eyes were greener than they used to be, but they were still the same boys she'd known her whole life. Sam still carried a book around like it was the Messiah and Dean still ate like he had worms. They both still idolized Chuck Norris and hated lima beans. She figured that some parts of people never really change. But Sam was. He wasn't that sweet, patient puppy dog eyed little boy anymore. There was rage and resentment that she'd never seen in him before and she just wanted to fix him, and Dean. They were both so broken and she wasn't sure if there was anything she _could_ do other than be there when they needed her. Dean's job might have been to look after Sam, but it went without saying that it was her job to look after Dean. Savannah had understood at an early age that while Sam had a million people looking out for him, Dean was always the one who was pushed to the side. She'd known from the first day she'd met him that Dean was something special. She'd known him since pretty much the day she was born. Their fathers had been quite the team back in the day and it was common for Savannah to get pawned off to Bobby along with Sam and Dean.

She couldn't imagine growing up without either of them. She could remember sneaking off into the night with Dean after they'd swiped some of Bobby's whiskey or her half assed attempt at learning chess with Sam. She needed them, without a doubt. They meant more to her than anything and the gut instinct that was telling her that everything was about to change was terrifying. She knew she couldn't just lay around while Sammy was out there doing God knows what. For all she knew, he could be walking into another trap at that very moment. And she'd be damned if she let anything happen to him. Stitches or not, they were going to find him. Bobby would kick their asses for doing it, but technically, he had said not to go _alone._ The door to the bathroom opened and Dean strolled out, a haze of steam following him. He looked a bit more relaxed as he dried his hair with a towel. Savannah forced herself to get up, swallowing back the agony of movement. She delicately slipped on her jacket and compelled her legs not to give out. Dean gave her a puzzled look as she threw him the keys to the Impala.

"Let's go find Sammy."


	15. Fool In The Rain

**Chapter 15: Fool in the Rain**

"Wherever he is, he does _not_ want us to find him." Dean said after half an hour of searching. Savannah agreed, keeping her eyes peeled for any trace of Sammy. They'd already asked around at the motel and the diner, and so far no one had seen hide or hair of him. The gas station was next on the list and Savannah snuck a look at Dean as he killed the engine. She counted the stress lines in his face as she eased herself out of the car, willing her legs to move. They approached the cashier, an old man who seemed uninterested in their presence until Dean flipped out his fake credentials. He looked politely at the picture of Sam that dean showed him, shaking his head as he did.

"Nope. Haven't seen him. Is he in trouble?" He inquired. Dean and Savannah traded unsure looks at his question before Savannah flashed him a smile.

"No. Not at all. We just need to ask him a few questions. So if you see him, give us a call." She said as she slid a business card across the counter. He nodded and they made their way back to the Impala. Every movement was agonizing and she could feel the stitches threatening to pop at any second, but she swallowed back the pain. Sam was out there somewhere and she couldn't stop looking for him now. She felt Dean give her a worried look as she cringed slightly. She brushed it off, choosing to ignore his looks. There was an uncomfortable silence for a second and Savannah leaned her head back against the seat.

"So where to now?" She asked, forcing the fatigue out of her voice.

"To the motel." Dean said as the Impala rumbled to life. She looked at him, her face sprinkled with confusion.

"The motel?" She repeated, waiting for his answer.

"You shouldn't be out here, Van." He said quietly as she sat up a little too quickly.

There was no way he was doing this, not right now. Not when Sam was out there by himself.

"Dean, stop. I'll be _okay._ Sammy might not be." She reasoned, the panic slowly rising. Being left alone was the last thing she wanted right now. She'd rather pop her stitches again than be left alone with her thoughts. Dean let out a frustrated sigh and cut off the engine, turning to look at her.

"You don't think I know that?! But look at yourself, Savannah. You're barely holding it together. You need to be sleeping, not on some wild goose chase!" He said and she caught the glimpse of frustration as it sailed across his face. She knew he was just doing his best to keep it together. Dean felt responsible for all this, like he always did. It was like it was his job to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. Savannah bit her lip and looked glumly out the window. She wasn't leaving Dean to shoulder that weight alone, not now and not ever. It was her job to help shoulder that burden and that's exactly what she would do.

"If you were in my shoes, what would you do? Would you just sleep and let me look for Sam alone?" She asked him, knowing damn well that he wouldn't. Dean rubbed his temples.

"Of course not, but-" He started to argue.

"Then let's go find him, Dean. We're wasting time arguing about this." She interrupted. Dean wasn't the only one feeling guilty about this whole mess.

"I'm not letting you two clean up my mess." She added quietly after a second. She started out the window, ignoring the look in Dean's eyes as the Impala pulled out of the gas station parking lot.

They drove around aimlessly and Savannah couldn't help but think that this was useless until she saw Sam's head bobbing through the crowd.

"Dean! Look!" She said excitedly as she pointed to him. Dean trailed him, keeping a safe distance between them as they watched Sam walk hurriedly down the street. Savannah could tell even from far away that he was tense. They followed him for four blocks before he ducked down a narrow one way street, casting an anxious look around before he did. Dean parked the car and hopped out quickly.

"Stay here." He said quickly, throwing her the keys and tucking his trusty gun into his jacket pocket.

"Like hell I am!" She protested, doing her best to scramble from the car before Dean could stop her. He shot her a stern look.

"Look, I don't know what he's up to in there. And you're not exactly in the best condition right now." He disputed and she sighed, knowing fully well he was right. She hated being left behind like she was some sort of child. Sam was her brother just as much as he was Dean's.

"Fine. But if you're not out in 10 minutes, I'm coming in." She pouted as Dean nodded before slipping around the corner and out of sight. She sighed and checked the time, noting that they only had an hour before Bobby's flight was due.

She watched the people amble about in the fall weather. They were laughing and chattering away, so unaware of the danger that lurked all around them. Sometimes, when she watched them, she wondered what her life would be like if she was normal. She wished sometimes that she could be blissfully unaware of danger like they were. She wondered if she would have gone to college and lived in some messy apartment, complaining about her shitty minimum wage job to her friends. Though, the idea of that seemed boring as all hell and she'd rather fight demons than have a life like that. When she was younger, she thought it wasn't fair that she didn't get to have that. A life where boys were her biggest worry and failing a class was her definition of life and death. But looking back on all that now, it seemed trivial in the grand scheme of things. Her father had sacrificed himself so that she could carry on where he left off. It wasn't an easy life, but it was a life that meant something and she could deal with that.

She checked her phone and it had only been 5 minutes since Dean had left. She was getting restless and she loaded some salt rounds into the sawed off shotgun she loved so much. She debated whether to actually wait the full 10 minutes before deciding that was a big hell no and stepping out of the car. She rounded the corner, hoping she could figure out where they'd gone. To her relief, it was a dead end and there was only one door. She tried the knob, finding it locked. She looked around cautiously before slipping her lockpicking kit out of her pocket and jimmying the lock. She slipped inside, letting her eyes adjust to the lack of light. There were voices echoing from the upper floors. The building was under construction, she guessed, judging by the plastic sheets that hung from the ceiling and various equipment scattered around. She wondered what the hell Sam was doing here as she crept up the stairs, ignoring the ache in her side. Savannah made it up to the fourth story before she stopped to rest for a second. The voices coming from the fifth and she could make out two of them. One was Sam's and the other she wasn't sure of. Sam's voice sounded nervous as she crept up the last of the stairs. The door was open enough for her to see him. He looked nervous and calm all at the same time and she snuck up to the door, her shotgun at the ready.

"Look, I'm the one you want. Just let him go. You said yourself that he's not part of this." Sam negotiated and Savannah cursed silently as she realized that Dean had gotten himself caught. She gave a quick glance behind her, making sure that she wasn't next in line. The other voice gave a chuckle that sounded entirely too amused for Savannah's liking.

"Oh no no no! You really think that I'm just going to let _Dean Winchester_ walk away? That'd be suicide on my part. Beside, I've always liked buy one get one deals." The voice purred. It was female and Savannah was ready to beat the bitch down. She wanted to smack Sam upside his gorgeously haired head for thinking that this was remotely a good idea. She shifted slightly, her eyes falling on Dean who was tied up in the corner. He looked murderous and she couldn't decide if he was madder at himself or Sam. Dean's eyes met hers and widened for a second. She motioned him to be quiet as she frantically tried to figure out how the hell they were going to get out of this one.


	16. Your Time is Gonna Come

**Chapter 16: Your Time is Gonna Come**

The adrenaline erased all her pain as she frantically tried to come up with a plan. Nothing about this was good and she knew the odds weren't in her favor. She shot another look behind her as an idea came to mind. She would have to act fast if she was going to pull this off. Savannah took a deep breath and popped a few of her stitches, wincing as the pain erupted down her side. She set to work painting a devil's trap and stifled the urge to cry out as she did. When she was done she stopped and inhaled deeply, hoping that this would work, otherwise, they were all screwed. She swallowed back the fear that was making her shake and rapped on the floor of the stairs with the butt of her gun, causing it to echo throughout the empty building. She backed up, praying that the dim light would mask the devil's trap on the floor. She could hear the conversation stop as the echoes died down.

"Well, I guess your faithful girlfriend has finally showed up." The demon purred and Savannah smirked in the shadows. She was bleeding pretty badly but the only thing that mattered right now was getting Sam and Dean out of there.

"Aren't you going to come join the party?" The demon scoffed and Savannah let out a chuckle.

"I am the party." She countered as footsteps fell. The demon burst the door open, her face smug with satisfaction. Only a few more feet and she would be trapped.

"Here to save your precious boys are we?" The demon laughed as she stepped forward. Sam's voice rang out against the silence.

"Get out of here, Van!" He yelled but Savannah stayed put. Savannah winced again and put a hand to the blood that was seeping through her shirt. The demon laughed at the sight of her.

"_This_ is your saving grace? Boys, I expected better from you." She jeered, unknowingly walking right into the trap that Savannah had laid out. Savannah smirked as the demon realized what was happening.

"You little _bitch!_ Let me out!" She hissed but Savannah only shook her head and smile.

"Haven't you learned not to underestimate us?" Savannah limped past her and into the room where Sam was hurriedly untying Dean. They both stopped when she walked in and Savannah was ready to sock Sam right across his face for nearly getting them all killed.

"What'd you….How?" Dean asked, rubbing his wrists where the rope had been. Savannah un-cupped her hand from the gash and smiled meekly.

"Devil's trap." She explained simply, marching back to the demon with the boys in toe.

The demon was pacing inside the Devil's trap like a caged lioness, ready to strike. Savannah produced the flask of holy water that she always kept in her jacket pocket.

"Sam…Sam, don't do this! Azazel could give you everything!" She pleaded, and Sam avoided her gaze as Savannah doused her with holy water. The demon screamed in pain and flailed around, her screams bouncing off the walls.

"Now, you're going to tell me exactly what Yellow Eyes is doing." Savannah ordered. She wasn't in the mood to deal with demon head games. She just wanted to take a goddamn nap.

"You might as well just send me back to hell now. They'll kill me if I tell you anything." She said through gritted teeth.

"They're the least of your worries right now, trust me." Dean threatened menacingly, circling the edge of the demon trap.

"Answer her question!"

"He doesn't tell us anything! Just says that he's creating a better future!" The demon spat out quickly.

"What does he want with Sam?" Savannah asked her bottle of holy water at the ready.

"Sam is one of his…children. His favorite, actually. He says he's got big plans for him." The demon admitted, flinching at the sight of the bottle.

"What plans?" Dean all but yelled, casting a look at his brother angrily. Sam stood there, knowing it was only a matter of time before Dean's anger was directed at him. Savannah couldn't blame Dean. She wanted to rip Sam's head off herself.

"I-I don't know!" The demon cried and Savannah could tell that for once, she was telling the truth. She gripped her side again as another ripple of pain caused her to double over. Sam caught her arm, helping her upright.

"You tell that sonofabitch that Sam isn't going anywhere!" Dean roared before he exorcised her, sending that bitch back to hell where she belonged.

Dean helped Savannah down the steps, their exit littered with quiet tension. Savannah knew it was only a matter of time before Dean's pent up frustration exploded. The car ride was just as apprehensive and Savannah was just happy to collapse into a chair the second they made it inside the motel room. Bobby was due any minute and he was walking into a shit storm.

"I'm sorry." Sam started before Dean held up a hand to stop him.

"_Sorry?_ You go running off to talk to _demons_ and all you can say is _sorry_?" Dean snapped. Savannah watched on from the chair, waiting to intervene if things got too out of hand. The last thing they needed was Sam running off to God knows where.

"Dean, I was just trying to help! I didn't want anyone else getting hurt." Sam sighed, shooting a glance to Savannah.

"Dad taught you better than that, Sammy! You know better!" Dean scolded, sounding more like a worried mother than an angry brother. Sam sat quietly, knowing fully well that Dean was just getting started.

"What did you expect would happen? That a _demon_ was just going to let you walk away?!" Dean continued ranting and Savannah stood with some difficulty.

"Dean-" She had reached for his shoulder, but he jerked it away from her.

"Don't…start." He barked and she wasn't sure how to go about this. He turned back to Sam, the anger and disappointed clearly painted on his face.

"Look, you have to understand my point of view! I just want this to be over. I just want things to back to how they were before!" Sam tried to reason with his brother, but Dean wasn't hearing any of it. He shook his head, and Savannah knew that Sam's words were lost on him.

"Sam, you should have talked to us. What were you even doing there anyways?" She sighed in frustration. She added a cold beer on top of her list of wants.

"I thought if I talked to one of them…" Sam trailed off.

"That what? They were just going to let you in on all their little secrets? They're _demons, _Sam. Their job is to trick people." Dean continued his pacing and Savannah was hoping Bobby's arrival would lessen the tension.

"I don't _know_, Dean. I didn't think that-" Sam tried to argue.

"That's right, Sam. You didn't think." Dean said disappointedly. Savannah knew the worst of it was over, for now anyways. They would both go lick their wounds and in a few days, everything would hopefully be back to normal. It was quiet and Savannah staggered into the bathroom to clean herself up. The wound was angry and swollen as she tenderly held a wet rag to it. She bit her lip and clenched the edge of the sink, trying to ward off the shooting pain. Sam's face appeared in the doorway. He looked so tired and she knew he had so much guilt brewing in him.

"You alright?" He asked her quietly, eyeing down her lacerated stomach. She faked a smile the best she could.

"Yeah, Sammy. I'm okay. Just…what were you _thinking_?" She sighed at him. He half shrugged and she could tell he wasn't in the mood for more lectures.

"That I didn't want you guys getting hurt because of me." He admitted remorsefully. She just smiled and gave him a pat on the chest.

"What I really want to know is, what the hell is Bobby gonna say when he gets here?" She asked with a chuckle at his reaction. They were _all_ in for a stern talking to when Bobby finally got there, that much was true.


	17. I Can't Quit You, Baby

**Chapter 17: I Can't Quit You, Baby**

Savannah hadn't seen Bobby in a few months, at least. Not since the job they'd worked in Madison back in February. They'd killed the werewolf and dropped by for a few days of heavy drinking and relaxation that usually came with a stay at Bobby's. But his face was anything but amused as he listened to what had just happened. Savannah waited nervously for his reaction. Dean hadn't stopped sending angry glares to Sam since their fight and he was sitting tensely on the edge of the bed she was lying on. She studied Bobby's face in the silence that followed. He looked tired and worn out and she noticed that he sat more hunched than he used to. He rubbed a hand over his aging face and exhaled before taking a shot straight from the bottle.

"I'm gettin too old for this." He sighed. Savannah and Dean stifled back a giggle at the Lethal Weapon reference. Bobby looked at them, causing both of their faces to fall. No matter how old they got, all it took was one look from him to make them all feel like they were 10 again.

"Don't even get me _started_ on you two! I told ya not to go looking for him!" Bobby lectured and Savannah shifted uncomfortably under his stare.

"No. You said not to go _alone._ And we didn't!" She objected and Bobby just shook his head in frustration.

"Besides, we're all okay." She added after a hesitant pause.

"Okay? Sam's making deals with demons and you've got more stitches in you than Raggedy Ann. What exactly about that is _okay_?" Bobby burst out. Savannah stayed quiet, shooting a look to Sam and Dean for back up. They were avidly avoiding each other's eye and Savannah longed for the days where their arguments were solved with a witty quip at the other's expense. But those days were long gone now and she missed them terribly now more than ever.

"I'm sorry Bobby." Sam said quietly from his chair. Dean snorted and rolled his eyes and Savannah nudged him hard with her foot.

"What were ya thinking, Sam?" Bobby said exasperatedly. Sam just half shrugged, looking like a sulking teenager.

"I don't know. I just wanted answers." He explained with a sigh and Dean shook his head angrily with another snort. Bobby gave him a frustrated look.

"Oh grow up. You two need to quit acting like bratty teenagers and thank Savannah for saving your asses." Both of the boys shot her a look and she just gave them a halfhearted smile, tenderly checking the rag she was holding to her side. Dean gave her a worried look.

"How's the bleeding?"

"I'll live." She said simply as he lifted up her shirt to assess the damage. She'd only popped open a few stitches, but it was pretty unpleasant to see. The pain had worn down to an aching throb now and Bobby came over to have a look for himself.

"Jesus!" He mumbled and Savannah felt like she was on display. She pulled her shirt down and tried to get up, pushing off Dean's hands as he tried to stop her.

"Dude, you _need_ to lay down." He said sternly before she gave him a defiant look. There was too much testosterone in the room and she needed a minute to get her head together. The last couple of days had been chaos.

"I just need some air, alright?" She said, irritated. They all traded looks before she slipped outside, welcoming the breeze as it swept across her face. She sank down against the hood of the Impala and looked up to the stars. Things had been so simple a year ago and now it was like everything was crumbling down. Sam was losing it and Dean was about to lose it on Sam, throw in the dreams about her father and it was almost enough to make her quit this whole lifestyle. It was the dreams that were really messing with her mind. They were bringing up the very same things that she had worked so hard to forget; not because she wanted to, but because she had to. They hurt too much to remember. It was the little things that she missed, like waking up to her dad's terrible singing or the stories he would tell her about her mother, and when they had first met. Most of the time, she could pretend like she didn't miss him constantly, or that she was alright with the pity that would seep into everyone's eyes at the mention of him. But she hated it. She stifled back a sob as the motel door opened and Bobby slipped out. He gave her a sympathetic smile as he offered her a flask. She took it and sipped appreciatively.

"How ya feelin?" He asked quietly, knowing better than to ask if she was okay.

"Alright, I guess. Just been a long couple of days." She said, the weariness obvious in her voice. He nodded and sipped from the flask before tucking it back in his pocket.

"Ya got them both pretty worried about ya in there." He said and she threw a glance to where the boys were both awkwardly pretending that the other didn't exist. She chuckled a little and rolled her eyes.

"They're always worried." She said and Bobby cracked a smile.

"I've never seen Dean so fussy. Ya gave him one hell of a scare, I'll tell you that much." Bobby said, a hint of something on his face. She rolled her eyes again at his suggestion behind his words. Their entire lives, people had always joked about Dean and Savannah's relationship. It had started with their fathers joking about them growing up and getting married, something that in their younger years, had repulsed the both of them. But it didn't stop there. Well into their older years, everyone had always assumed they were a couple and Bobby swore that they were in love, but just didn't realize it yet. Dean and Savannah had always just traded annoyed looks and laughed it off.

"Not this again, Bobby. He's my best friend and that's it." She groaned as Bobby let out a laugh before his face was serious again.

"So, I hear that you're not celebrating your birthday again this year." He said quietly and Savannah avoided his eye. She didn't want to think about this anymore. It was starting to hurt and the last thing she wanted to do was cry right now. She fought back the wave of emotions as she turned her eyes back to his.

"No. I just….can't." She said softly, biting her thumbnail. Bobby let out a patient sigh and slipped the flask from his pocket again.

"You can't keep doing this, Savannah. Locking it all up and pretending like it didn't happen." He said, offering the flask to her. She took a hearty sip, grimacing as she did.

"I'm not pretending like it didn't happen! There's just, so much going on right now." Bobby clearly saw right through her attempt to lie. He put a hand on her shoulder and forced her to look him right in the eye.

"That's bullshit and you know it. You think your daddy would want you moping around like this? Hell, he'd kick my ass for letting you do it all these years. You're going to have to let it all go one of these days. Or it'll kill you." Bobby said lovingly. She nodded, knowing he was probably right. If she was honest with herself, she was tired of holding it all in. It was starting to weigh her down too much and she didn't have the strength to fight it anymore. She looked around the parking lot miserably as a few tears made their way down her cheeks. She wiped them away quickly and looked at Bobby. He smiled at her and pulled her into him.

"I might be an old coot, but I know this, your daddy always said that you'd be something special. And he wasn't lying." Bobby whispered into her ear before letting her go. She just smiled at the man who had spent most of his life making sure that the three of them grew up as normal as possible. Her eyes drifted from him to Sam and Dean, who still weren't speaking. But even now, in the midst of all the madness that was happening, they were still together. And in the end, isn't that what really matters?


	18. Night Flight

**Chapter 18: Night Flight**

The room hummed with uncomfortable silence. Savannah sipped her beer and flipped through one of the books that Bobby had brought with him. For once, she was happy to rifle through books doing research because it gave her something to focus on, rather than deal with the looks that were flying around the room. She sipped her beer again and skimmed the worn page, hoping to find anything about the mysterious monster that had sucked another kid in the last day. She was half paying attention, half watching the boys out of the corner of her eyes. Dean was restlessly shaking a foot and Sam was forcing himself not to look up from the book he was reading. Suddenly, she sat up, reading a lore that sounded way too familiar.

_Ole Higues, __Also known as "Fire Rass", she is the __Guyanese__ equivalent of a __vampire__. Ole-Higue is always female. She sucks the blood of unsuspecting victims as they sleep. Her favorite victims are young children._

"Guys, I think I found something…" She said, watching as three heads all popped up at once. She read on hastily.

_At night this seemingly harmless old woman removes her skin, places it gently in a __calabash__ and travels across the sky as a ball of fire heading to the home of her intended victim. To enter the home she shrinks herself and enters through the keyhole._

"Well?" Bobby said after a second. She looked at them, happily astonished at her findings. She read the lore aloud to them, their eyes all widening as she did.

"Son of a bitch." Dean mumbled, muting the TV that was playing an old Walker Texas Ranger re-run. The tension vanished from the room, replaced by excited satisfaction. This had been one of the hardest jobs they'd worked by far and Savannah was just happy they had figured it out.

"Does it say how to kill it?" Sam asked and Savannah quickly skimmed the remainder of the page until she found her answer.

_To kill an Ole Higue, turn the key while she is trying to get through the key hole. Many __Guyanese__ lock their doors and then turn their key to a horizontal position to allow an Ole-Higue to make it part way into the hole. The rustling of the key should wake the tenant who can then turn the key fully and crush the Ole-Higue. The next morning one should see a pile of bones on the doorstep._

She reiterated, flinching at the dull throb in her side. Bobby had stitched her back up an hour ago, but the pain hadn't quite settled. But right now, that didn't matter. What mattered was catching the monster and killing it before it killed a child. It was dusk and they only had an hour, maybe two before it was dark. Savannah threw the book down and rushed from the bed as best she could. She had just grabbed her jacket when Dean stood.

"What are you doing?" He asked before she shot him a confused look.

"Uhm, I'm going to save some kids?" She said before he shook his head.

"No way. You're not going on this one, Van." He said with authority, trying to usher her back to the bed.

"What?! Dean, I'm going. There's no way I'm not." She protested, shooting a look to Sammy for help. He just gave her a face and shrugged his shoulders. The last thing she wanted was to be stuck here all night with terrible television while the boys were out hunting. She wasn't useless and she certainly wasn't staying behind.

"I don't care if I have to handcuff you to the bed. You're not going." Dean insisted and she sent a pleading look to him, batting her eyes innocently. He just shook his head, continuing to guide her back to the bed.

"Dean, I'm _fine_! The stitches are gonna hold and I'll be just fine." She started trying to reason with him, breaking free of his grip on her elbow. Sam sighed from the table, giving her a frustrated glance. She could be stubborn sometimes, and now was one of them.

"Van, it's just….we don't know what kind of monster this is. And you're already hurt pretty bad." Sam said gently from the table and Savannah looked at him. That was bullshit. They'd all been through worse than this and she refused to get stuck here while they had all the fun.

"That's bullshit, Sammy. I can handle-" She had started before Bobby stood, irritated.

"Savannah Jean, quit acting like a baby. You're staying and that's the end of it. There's kids that need saving and being left behind isn't the end of the world. Understood?" He said sternly and Savannah knew he was serious. No one ever called her Savannah Jean but her father and Bobby and neither of them were joking when it was said.

"Yes, sir." She huffed, crossing her arms. The sheer displeasure of this whole situation was clear on her face.

"That's better. Now does it say how to find this "old lady" somewhere?" Bobby said, taking a large shot.

"No. It just says that she sheds her skin. No way to find her." Savannah said.

"Well, that leaves us a few hours to stalk old women." Dean said with a snigger. Savannah flopped onto the bed, just happy that the boys could put aside their anger for a while. Though she had a feeling it wasn't going to stay away for very long. The two of them could fight better than teenage girls and it'd always driven her crazy.

"So what am I supposed to do then? Sit here all night and watch shitty TV?" She pouted as they donned their jackets.

"That's _exactly_ what you're supposed to do." Dean said as she shot him a dirty look. He grinned as he walked over to her, ruffling her hair.

"Be careful, alright? You bring your asses back here in one piece." She said as Dean planted a kiss on the top of her head.

"We always do." Sam said with a nod before they disappeared out the door. She heard the Impala rumble to life and out of the parking lot.

She flipped through the channels for the next 15 minutes trying to ward off the worry that was sneaking up on her. Most of the reason she hated being left behind is because she didn't like the idea of not being there if something happened. A million different scenarios danced through her head and she did her best to shake them from her thoughts. The three of them weren't stupid and they were more than capable of handling themselves, but the nagging feeling wouldn't go away. She ignored it, choosing instead to leaf through her father's journal. She'd read it so much she knew practically every word in there. She flipped to her favorite page, one she'd read and re-read almost daily since the day her father had died.

_September 26, 1990_

_Tomorrow is the day that I die. Savannah doesn't know anything about it yet, but she's starting to catch on that something is wrong. She's always been smart like that and now is no different. I've been watching her sleep for the last hour, trying to drink myself to death before the hellhounds do it for me. I just hope that one day; she'll realize that I did this all for her. I pray that she won't ever follow in my footsteps and start hunting, but I guess that's up to her. I can tell she's already got the knack for it and it kills me every time she asks to go on a hunt. But that's Vannie for you, headstrong beyond a doubt. It's funny really, the way that things work out in the end. Knowing when you're going to die changes your perspective on everything. I've done my best to raise Savannah right and spend all the time I can with her. In the end, isn't being a good father really what it's all about? Anyways, I guess eventually everyone has to die and I can say with pride that I'd make the deal again any day. She's always been worth it and I wouldn't trade her for anything. _

Savannah stopped and wiped the tears from her eyes. She snapped the journal shut and ran a hand through her hair as she got her emotions under wraps. She needed air and she slipped from the bed and out the door. It was a quiet night and Savannah wandered slowly to the soda machine that stood next to the office. Her mind was reeling and she just wished the boys had left a bottle to sooth her raging mind. She turned the corner leading back to her room and stopped dead in her tracks. She watched, flattening herself up against the wall as people she didn't know kicked in the door to the hotel room.


	19. When The Levee Breaks

**Chapter 19: When the Levee Breaks**

Savannah watched the four of them slip inside the motel room, slinking just close enough to hear the conversation they were having.

"Where the hell are they? You said they would be here." The obvious leader of the group hissed to the others. Savannah peeked in through the gap in the curtains. She was completely unarmed, unless she decided to spray them with the soda she was holding.

"No, I said this was where they were _staying_." One of them corrected him.

"Azazel won't be happy about this at all. We were supposed to bring them back." Another one of them piped up nervously. Savannah's heart sank at the mention of Yellow Eyes. She was basically up against four demons with no weapon. She cursed Sam, Dean and Bobby for leaving her by herself. She had no choice but to call them and run. Trying to take on all the demons at once would be a hard thing to do even if she wasn't hurt. She backed up slowly, hoping there wasn't another one lurking around somewhere. She walked a few blocks to make sure she wasn't being followed before she hastily opened her phone. Dean answered on the first ring.

"Miss me already?" He asked sarcastically.

"Dean? Where are you?" She said, the urgency slipping through her words. Any of the people around her could be demons and she was a sitting duck right now.

"Van? What's wrong?" Dean's voice was tense as he sensed something wasn't right.

"There's-" She glanced around before continuing. "Demons in our motel room and I don't have a gun." She told him quickly.

"What?! Are you alright? Did they see you?" Dean's voice was now blatantly scared.

"No. I'm fine. Just…come get me." She pleaded before giving him her location. They hung up and Savannah anxiously paced for the next 10 minutes until the Impala screeched to a stop in front of her. He jumped from the car and raced to her, checking her over for any sign of injury.

"I told you, I'm _okay._" She reassured him before he rushed her to the Impala. Sam and Bobby were absent and they'd probably continued the search for the Ole Higue on foot.

"We have to go back, Dean." Savannah said as the Impala peeled away.

"Tell me you're joking." Dean said, appalled at the mere suggestion of it. She looked at him as she shivered against the fall chill in the air. She had only been wearing a tank top when she'd left.

"All of our stuff is there. Both of our dad's journals, all our research. If they find all that, who knows what they'll do with it." She reasoned and Dean sighed.

"We'll drive by and just see what's happening, alright?" He compromised as he slipped off his jacket and handed it to her. She put it on, a coy smile faint on her lips. They coasted slowly by the motel, noting that while the door to their room was open, it seemed unoccupied. Savannah and Dean traded unsure looks as Dean parked and handed her a gun.

They slowly made their way into the room, ready for just about anything. Savannah's heart was racing as Dean checked the bathroom, signaling the all clear. Her nerves settled some as she scanned the room, taking in the chaos in front of her. Most of their stuff was scattered about, and their research littered the floor, though nothing seemed to be missing. Savannah realized that she had dodged a bullet. If she hadn't gone to get a soda or had waited, she might not even be alive right now.

"You sure you're alright?" Dean asked as his eyes danced with worry. She realized that she was shaking and took a deep breath to steady her nerves.

"Yeah, just a really close call." She said with another look around the room.

"Any idea what they wanted?" Dean asked.

"Us. They seemed pissed that we weren't here. Said Yellow Eyes wanted them to bring us to him." She said casually, slipping off Dean's jacket. She put on her own sweatshirt, noticing Dean's scent of leather, whiskey and Irish Spring still clung to her. Dean's face fell to one of surprise.

"So what, they were just gonna kick the door in and take us hostage? Sounds more like us than them!" He exclaimed as Savannah started picking up their stuff.

"Your guess is as good as mine. One thing is for sure, we have to be careful. Whatever Yellow Eyes wants with Sam, it can't be good." She said solemnly. She bit her lip as she strained to pick up Sam's shirt off the ground without popping her stitches. Dean stood and gently sat her down before starting to pick up the things that were sprawled on the floor. It was quiet for a second before Dean stopped and looked at her.

"I don't think we should tell Sammy about what they said." He mumbled quietly. Savannah looked at him, shocked.

"What? We _have _to tell him. What if he gets hurt?" She declared as Dean shook his head at her.

"No. I don't want him running off to try and "talk" his way out of this too. I can't lose him, Van." Dean said. Dean Winchester wasn't scared of much, but the thought of losing his brother was a fear that shook him to his very core. Savannah sighed and pulled him onto the bed, turning to look at him.

"Sam's a smart kid, Dean. How would you feel if they found him and he didn't know what's going on? You'd never be able to live with yourself. Plus, he's with Bobby and you know Bobby won't let Sam do anything stupid." She rationalized softly. He looked away as he contemplated her words and ran a hand through his hair.

"Alright, alright." He said as Savannah dialed Sam's number.

"Hey. You okay?" Sam sounded worried to death.

"Yeah. I'm okay. There were demons here, Sam. And they were looking for us. Yellow Eyes wants you bad." She explained as she laid her head on Dean's shoulder.

"What? Why?" Sam asked, the panic clearly evident in his voice. He had every right to be scared right now. Hell, Savannah was scared and Yellow Eyes didn't want anything to do with her, except maybe kill her.

"I don't know Sammy. But listen, you and Bobby keep working on finding this thing. Dean and I are going to clean up and find a safer spot. We'll keep you posted. And Sammy? Be careful." She said, knowing fully well that Sam would more than likely be fine.

"O-Okay. You too, Van." He said simply before he hung up. Savannah looked up at Dean, noticing that he looked older than he should. Hunting would do that to a person though. The lifestyle wore people down until they were nothing more than broken people who died of cirrhosis. She wished for anything but that to happen to Dean. He was already starting to drink more and more and she could see him cracking under the stress of everything. But Dean was a soldier more than anything else and he had been trained to keep it all inside and push it down. She stood, placing a kiss on his forehead.

"He'll be alright, Dean. He always is." She murmured quietly before she started the task of packing up. They spent the next 15 minutes packing and cleaning up the mess the demons had left behind. Although most of it Dean had insisted on cleaning up because he didn't want Savannah to bend over too much. She smiled as his fretfulness and let him help her, because she knew he needed to keep busy to get his mind off the worry that was no doubt brewing in him. They checked out and quietly started for a hotel on the edge of town, making sure to take their time in case anyone, or more, anything had decided to follow them. Savannah watched Dean tap along to Led Zeppelin as they drove through the quiet night. He was thinking, and with Dean, that was usually never a good thing. His face was serious and Savannah wanted to get him out of his head. Dean had a nasty habit of overthinking and she knew eventually, it would be his downfall. She sighed, watching out the window, knowing that trying to get him to talk wouldn't do any good. He was just as stubborn as she was when it came to things like this. They listened to the next 4 tracks before Dean looked at her with a mixture of fear and sadness in his eyes so intense that Savannah was scared her heart was going to stop right there.

"What if this is what Dad was talking about?" He asked, his words dripping with terror. Savannah had done her best to forget the promise that John had made Dean make before he died. Dean had promised to save Sammy….or kill him if he couldn't. Savannah hated to admit it, but maybe Dean was right.


	20. Black Dog

**Chapter 20: Black Dog**

It had been close to half an hour since they'd hastily checked into the grungy hotel just outside the city limits. Dean hadn't stopped pacing and glancing out the window since they'd arrived. He was worried and Savannah knew all he wanted to do was make sure Sam was alright.

"Just go find him, Dean." Savannah said for the fifth time. Dean stopped and shook his head.

"I'm not leaving you by yourself." He said firmly.

"So let's go together then." She huffed impatiently before he sent her a frustrated look. They'd already had this conversation a million times in the last 10 minutes alone.

"Savannah." Dean warned, uncrossing his arms as he gave another worried look out the window. The room was quiet and Savannah sighed as she flopped back on the bed.

"Well, if you're not going to find him, can you at least act like you're going to see him again?" She said, gingerly propping herself up on her elbow. Dean rolled his eyes and slumped into a chair.

"That's better." She said, getting up and rifling through a bag until she found what she was looking for. She produced the emergency bottle of whiskey she always kept in her bag and looked at Dean mischievously. He perked up at the sight of a full bottle and a small smile spread across his face. She sat down across from him at the table and poured them both a generous amount. It had been a hell of a night and they all deserved a drink.

"Hey. You remember that bartender in Reno a few months back? She was _awesome._" Dean reminisced suddenly. Savannah rolled her eyes and downed her shot, grimacing more at the memory of Dean running off with another skank that at the liquor. But she wouldn't ever dare mention that to Dean, unless she wanted a smug smile and a snarky remark about jealousy. She realized that Dean was waiting for some sort of an answer from her.

"Wait, what?" She said, snapping back into reality. Dean sighed impatiently at her.

"I _said_, don't you think triplets would be awesome? Think about it." He said dreamily. She smirked at his delusions and yawned with a small shudder. She'd been fighting off exhaustion for the last two hours. Dean snapped out of his daydream and eyed her down suspiciously. Neither of them had said anything about John's promise since Dean had and Savannah was hopeful he wouldn't bring it up now. Sam was better than that and they both knew it. Sure, he'd tried to negotiate with a demon, but he was just trying to help. But Dean didn't say a word; he just grabbed the bottle and poured himself another shot. She glanced out the window into the darkness, sending out a silent prayer that Sam and Bobby would come home soon…and in one piece.

Another 15 minutes past in silence and Savannah had posted up on the bed, her own journal now open in her lap. She was scribbling furiously, writing about the latest hunt and the things that had happened in the last few days. The journal was more for her own sanity than for information, though the two usually went hand in hand. She finished writing and closed her journal with a snap.

"Well, while we're demon free, I'm taking a shower." She said cheerfully as she picked out clean clothes and made her way into the bathroom. She blasted the water and stripped down, stepping gratefully into the water. She flinched as the hot water splashed her battered body. She could feel some of the tension in her shoulders slip away as the water found its way down her back. She forced herself to quiet her ever reeling mind and just enjoy a long, hot shower for a change. She let her mind wander back to various "vacations" when she was younger, like the time Dean and herself had snuck into a Metallica concert when she was 15. Sam had chosen to stay at Bobby's, which was usual for him. He had only been 11 after all. Bobby found out of course, when he went to check on them and found pillows where their bodies should have been. But typical Bobby wasn't even mad. He just asked if they'd gotten him a t-shirt and promised not to tell John. But that was Bobby for you. He'd been covering their asses since before Savannah was born, and she loved him for it. She smiled as she finished her shower and got dressed, emerging to find Dean still gazing out the window.

"Any word from them?" She asked as she dried her hair. Dean jerked his head at the sound of her voice, his thoughts obviously still somewhere else.

"No. Nothing at all." He said quickly, with a glance to his phone. She nodded and rolled her eyes at his hastiness. He was probably still dreaming about that triplet fantasy from earlier. Savannah rolled up her shirt and started the challenging task of bandaging her stomach up. She had only gotten a few minutes in when Dean was suddenly behind her, his hands working effortlessly. She blushed slightly at the skin to skin contact, praying that Dean didn't notice. She gave him an appreciative smile as his phone rang to life.

"Sammy? You okay?" He said, anxious and relieved all at the same time.

"Son of a bitch. Alright, we'll be waiting. Just be careful." He said, throwing the phone onto the bed. She watched some of the worry slip from his eyes as he ran a hand along his stubbled chin.

"They still can't find any sign of it. They're on their way back." Dean told her, answering the question before she could ask it. She just nodded before an idea came into her head. She'd been sleeping in jeans for the last 3 weeks and it was about time she slept comfortably. She wordlessly walked past Dean and started rummaging through his bag until she found what she was looking for. She pulled the pair of pajama pants from his bag and slipped past him into the bathroom, grinning at the dumbfounded look on his face. She changed quickly and collapsed under the starchy hotel blankets with a worn sigh. She was aching everywhere as she struggled to stay awake. Sam and Bobby were due back any minute and she wanted to at least make sure they got back before she fell asleep. But the second she hit the pillow, she was out like a light.

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_All she knew was that Dean was in trouble. She could hear his voice echoing from inside the abandoned lumber mill. Her adrenaline poured through her and she raced frantically in the direction they were coming from. She slowed to a walk and wiped the sweat that was trailing down her face, noticing with some surprise that it was mixed with blood. She wasn't hurt as far as she knew. It was splattered across her shirt and on her boots and she wondered why the hell she didn't remember killing anyone. She didn't know where she was, but she knew Dean was in trouble and that's all that mattered. _

_ She wandered into the next room, her grip tight on her gun. As soon as she crossed the threshold, she stopped, shocked at the bodies that were carelessly strewn about. Savannah stifled back a gasp and forced herself to keep walking. There was nothing she could do to help them now. Another one of Dean's cries floated past her and she took off running again. Her heart sank at the smell of sulfur and the broken Devil's Trap that was drawn on the floor. Dean was in trouble and there were demons. She picked up the pace and skidded to a halt in the doorway of the room that Dean was in. He was bloody and bruised from the post he was tied to. It was all Savannah could do not to cry at the very sight of him. The demon who was torturing him stopped as her footsteps echoed in the empty room. Dean was shaking his head._

_ "Run, Vannie." He managed before the demon snapped his neck with the flick of a wrist. Savannah screamed as Dean's body went limp and the life drained from his eyes._

_ "I'll kill you! I'll fucking kill you!" She screamed, taking careful aim despite her shaking hands. _

_ "You're too late to save him. Just like you were too late to save me." The demon said as he turned to face her. Savannah stopped dead in her tracks as she came face to face with Sam. But it wasn't the Sammy she knew, because his once brown eyes were now black and soulless. She watched a merciless smile stretch onto his face before she felt his hands on her neck._


	21. Celebration Day

**A/N: Sorry about the late update! I just started a new job so I've been super busy! As always, enjoy and reviewwwww! :) **

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**Chapter 21: Celebration Day**

Savannah's eyes snapped open as she gasped loudly. The panic was still making her heart flutter and the boys stopped their conversation, jerking their heads towards her frantic movements.

"Ya 'lright?" Bobby asked, starting to get up from his chair. Savannah closed her eyes and nodded slightly as she tried to calm herself down. When she opened her eyes again, she was careful to avoid Sam's worried stare. Out of all the dreams she'd been having, this one had shaken her the most. Maybe it was her subconscious, maybe it was just a dream; she couldn't tell. The image of Dean's limp body danced around in her head and she threw the blankets back and forced herself up from the bed. She shook off Dean as he tried to help her to the bathroom. Savannah flipped on the light and looked at herself in the mirror. She was pale and it enhanced the bruises on her face and the dark circles forming under her eyes. She braced herself on the edge of the sink and caught her breath before splashing water on her face. She took a deep breath as she reemerged and did her best to elude the concerned looks she was getting.

"Everything alright in there?" Bobby asked as she grabbed the half eaten burger in front of Dean, ignoring his silent dirty look. If anyone else had tried to take his food, they'd probably be dead.

"Of course. You find anything out?" She said around a mouthful of food. There was no use in them being worried about her. They all had a lot of shit on their plates and more importantly, there were kids getting hurt. The last thing she wanted was them to worry about her on top of everything else. Bobby shot Dean an uneasy look as he poured her a shot with a tired sigh.

"Not a goddamn thing. I'm waiting on a few calls back from some guys who owe me some favors." He said, adjusting his hat. Savannah just nodded and continued shoveling the burger into her mouth. She watched Sam pull out a map of the city and cross off the places they'd checked. So far, it was 2 hospitals and 2 nursing homes. They still had a lot more ground to cover if they wanted to catch this monster anytime soon. Savannah stole a glance to Sam and Dean, watching them for any signs of anger. Dean's eyes had lost their rage, the whole ordeal with the demons had sent him back to worrying. She looked hard into Sam's eyes, finding that the anger was slow to fade from them. He looked frustrated and lost and she wondered just what it was that he was thinking about. Bobby let out a sigh and she turned her attention to him.

"So, who's up for some coffee?" She asked, watching Bobby perk up at the idea. She smiled at her boys as she slipped on her jacket. She forced herself not to flinch in pain as she caught the keys that Dean threw her.

For her boys, she had to pretend like everything was fine. She had to be strong, because they were both breaking. She couldn't let the pain or the worry or the doubt get to her because it was going to get to them. And she couldn't let them break. Not now, and not ever. It was her job to keep strong when they couldn't and now was one of those times. She knew her boys well enough to know that they were putting on a brave face.

She knew that Dean was worrying about her, and about Sammy. The idea of Sam being taken from him had shaken him but he wouldn't let that show. No, he would just quietly work away, trying to do everything in his power to make sure that Sammy was safe, because that's all he knew how to do. And she knew that Sam was lost, and scared of what he was becoming. A freak is what he'd been calling himself. And she watched him break a little bit more every time Dean made a joke about it. But Sam wouldn't say a word, he would keep it locked inside and let it fester. She knew that all he really wanted was Dean to say that he cared still, that Dean was going to save his little brother, like he always did.

In a way, watching out for them had been instilled in her the same way Dean was taught to protect Sammy. From that one day in September all those years ago, she knew that was her sole purpose. Because she could never love anyone in the world as much as she loved those two boys. She would stop at nothing to make sure that they were happy and healthy, even if it meant that she wasn't.

Savannah shook the sentiments from her brain before her eyes swept across three tired looking faces.

"Feel like coming for a drive, Sammy?" She asked, hopeful that he'd accept. Sam nodded and put on his jacket before they made their way to the Impala. She secretly loved when Dean let her drive. It wasn't often when he handed the keys over, but she loved it when he did. She'd always loved classic cars, a trait she'd learned from her father when she was younger. In between jobs they would stop at any car show they stumbled onto. She loved the power of the engine and the way Impala purred. She brought the engine to life and let the silence loom for a little while before she said anything.

"Sammy?" She asked, shooting him a glance.

"Yeah, Van?" He answered, tearing his eyes away from the darkened scenery.

"Are you scared?" She asked honestly. Her voice sounded so small and it was shrouded with fear. Sam gave her the sympathetic smile he always did.

"Of course I am! But I can't just run away from it, Van." He said valiantly. It was just like Sam to run headfirst into trouble, even when he didn't mean to.

"I'm not saying that, but…but what if something happens to you?" She asked, the fear rolling off her tongue before she could stop it. It was times like these when she loved Sam the most, when she was scared and worried and tired of being strong, Sam had always been there to help her shoulder the burden. He looked at her, his eyes were bold with conviction and it soothed her uneasiness some.

"Nothing's going to happen to me, I promise." He guaranteed as she nodded, feeling more like she was 11 and not 25. They pulled up into the run down gas station and Savannah peeled herself out of the car. She was getting used to the pain now, which had helped with her mobility. She grabbed Sam's jacket before they reached the door and looked at him sternly, despite the foot difference between them.

"Oh, and Sammy, if you _ever_ run out on me again, I'll kill you." She said, half mockingly, half not. Sam just nodded as they headed inside. Sam went to go get coffee and Savannah browsed the shelves for snacks. She made sure to grab Funions for Sam and pie for Dean before grabbing herself a candy bar and something for Bobby. Savannah made her way over to Sam, who was stirring in the sugar to the last of the coffees. Sam's face lit up at the sight of the Funions and they made their way to the counter to pay. As they climbed back into the Impala, Sam sent her a glance.

"Will you stop worrying? Everything's gonna be just fine, Van. You're gonna burn yourself out if you don't relax every now and then." He said as he hastily opened the bag of Funions. She looked back at him, choosing not to tell him what she wanted. What she really wanted to ask him was how she wasn't supposed to worry when Yellow Eyes was after him, or when Dean was one step away from falling apart, or how Bobby looked older and older every time they saw him. She had to worry, because someone had to make sure that they all remained in one piece. But he wasn't entirely wrong, either. She was running on empty and she knew it. She wasn't sleeping right, wasn't eating right and it really was only a matter of time before her body forced her to take a break. She sighed and looked at Sammy, a smile on her face.

"After this job is over, I'll take a vacation. Deal?" She offered and Sam nodded. She backed out of the parking lot and headed back toward the motel. It was quiet and Savannah was humming along with Led Zeppelin as it played from the speakers. She stole a look at Sam, stifling a smile as she watched him shove Funions into his mouth at an alarming rate. She wondered what her Dad would have thought about the boys if he could see them now. She wondered if he would still say that Sam read too much, or that Dean ate more than any boy should. She wondered if he would be as proud of them as she was. Bobby's words came resonating back into her head. "_You think your daddy would want you moping around like this? Hell, he'd kick my ass for letting you do it all these years. You're going to have to let it all go one of these days. Or it'll kill you." _And she knew he was right. Her father wouldn't have wanted her to pretend like his death hadn't happened. His death had meant something, _she_ meant something and it was time that she honored her Dad by letting go. Taking all the guilt and the blame and the anger she'd been building up and just let it go. She deserved to be happy and that's exactly what she would be. Her father might have been the last of her blood family, but that didn't mean she was alone. She still had family, as unconventional as they might be. She looked at Sam and arched an eyebrow.

"Hey Sam, what are we doing for my birthday?" She asked laughing as Sam's face fell to utter confusion.


	22. That's The Way

**Chapter 22: That's the Way**

Bobby and Dean were chattering quietly when the two of them came back. Their quiet whispers stopped as soon as they entered and Savannah doled out the snacks, watching Dean's eyes light up at the sight of pie. He gave her an excited smile before digging in. She smiled and sat back down on the bed, feeling surprisingly refreshed given the last couple of hellish days. The only nagging thought that lingered was about her latest dream. It still sent a shiver down her spine and she did her best to push it away. Sam wasn't a monster and she knew it, so why was she still avoiding his gaze? If it wasn't real, why did she have the feeling that Sam would end up like that? It terrified her because Sam had already been through so much at such a young age. He was only 21 and he'd already seen more than most people would in their entire life. He should be out at a bar with his friends, not stuck in another shitty hotel room hunting monsters. It wasn't fair. Bobby's voice broke her thoughts.

"I've checked every goddamn book I've brought and I can't find Jack about this thing." He said, the frustration clear in his voice. Savannah sighed and laid back on the bed, staring at the ceiling before rubbing her eyes. She snapped them open as Sam's black eyes flashed across them. She sat up and grabbed Sam's laptop, trying not to look shaken. She searched for anything helpful and found something after a few pages.

_To find an Ole Higue, you must first find her skin and place peppers inside. When the Ole Higue returns to human form, the peppers will burn her skin. Another way to catch her is to spill rice grains in front of her. As the Ole Higue sees this, she will be compelled to pick up every single rice grain. _

Savannah let out an excited squeal that earned her a confused look from Sam and Bobby.

"Find out the Backstreet Boys are in town?" Dean asked smugly.

"Funny, coming from the guy I caught listening to N'sync." She smirked, watching Dean's face flush slightly.

"I told you. I clicked the wrong link!" He spat defensively as Sam stifled a giggle.

"Did you accidentally know all the words too?" She prodded one last time before leaving the flustered Dean alone.

"Anyways, I think I might have an idea of how to find this…thing." She said, reiterating the information she'd just found.

"Well that's dandy but we still have to find it first." Bobby pointed out and Savannah eased herself up from the bed and checked the map again.

"There's still two nursing homes left. So I say tomorrow we split up and check them out." She suggested, Sam was pale white. She watched him clench his jaw and clamp his eyes shut.

"You alright there, Sammy?" She asked, watching Dean's eyes snap to his brother.

"Yeah. Just a headache." Sam said as another jolt of pain flashed across his face. Dean was at his side in less than a second. He eased his brother back on the bed, the gut wrenching worry written all over him.

"Woah. Like a _headache_ headache?" Dean asked and Sam swallowed hard.

"I…I dunno." Sam managed before grabbing his head and hunching over with a small yell. Savannah's stomach dropped as she realized Sam was having a vision, or about to have one, anyways. Dean put out a hand, stopping Bobby where he stood. Savannah watched helplessly until Sam opened his eyes. She hadn't realized that she'd been holding her breath until she let out a long exhale.

"Sammy?" She said gently, lowering herself onto the bed. She gave a quick glance to Dean, noting that relief had replaced worry on his face.

"I saw her! I know what she looks like!" Sam exclaimed after a tense minute of silence.

"And?" Bobby prodded gently. Savannah remembered that Bobby had never seen Sam having a vision and she could tell he wasn't quite sure what to make of it.

"And we have it all wrong! She's not old….she's.._young!"_ He said, hastily grabbing the pad of paper from the night stand.

Savannah watched him sketch away while trying not to let her most recent dream cloud her thoughts. She swallowed hard and reminded herself that this was _Sammy_ after all. I mean, the kid still got teary eyed watching Bambi. There was no way he could turn into a monster like that.

"_What if this is what Dad was talking about…"_

Dean's words rattled through her brain and she forced herself to focus on Sam's now finished drawing. He showed it to them and they studied it closely for a minute. Savannah couldn't shake the feeling that she'd seen that face before. She wracked her brain but her memory was foggy from the last few days.

"So you see anything else in that freak vision of yours?" Dean asked after a minute. Savannah knew he was trying and failing to mask his worry with insults. It was a typical Dean move that she's seen him do a thousand times before.

Savannah always understood why Dean was always so good at picking up chicks. He was a good liar. He'd tell you the sky was orange with so much conviction that you'd believe it after a while. To people who didn't know Dean, he was the epitome of smug, boyish confidence. But Savannah could tell with one good look just what he was trying to hide underneath of that. She knew just by the sound of his voice when something was wrong. His snappy remarks and cocky quips were just a shield because Dean hated being vulnerable and Savannah had always resented John just a little for making him that way. Because Dean was a solider, through and through. He had been since he was born and it was so engrained in him and Savannah was scared that the real Dean, the sweet, funny, caring Dean was slipping away more and more every day.

Savannah realized that she'd been intently staring at Dean and snapped her eyes back to Sammy.

"I got a time. 3:17 am and a house number. 464. But that's it." Sam relayed.

"So we have just under 4 hours to find this bitch and gank it." Dean said. Bobby sat down with a tired sigh.

"Tell us everything you saw, Sam."

And Sam went on for the next 15 minutes describing every imaginable detail. In the end, they were looking for a blue, two story house sporting freshly planted tulips and a grey Toyota with a chipped tail light. Savannah knew they had their work cut out for them. She stared at Sam's sketch again, trying to figure out why it looked so familiar.

"I've seen her before…but where?" She asked annoyed, trying to ignore the dull ache in her side.

The minutes formed into an hour and a half later and Sam had hacked into every database he could think of trying to find the Toyota he'd seen in the dream. Bobby had nodded off 20 minutes ago and none of them had the heart to wake him. Savannah had been desperately trying to figure out where she'd seen the girl before when it clicked. She gasped so loudly that Bobby bolted up from his slump and Dean gave a tiny gasp him.

"It's the bartender! The one that you were hitting on! That's her!" Savannah exclaimed triumphantly as Dean let out a defeated sigh.

"Why is it _always_ the hot bartender?"


	23. How Many More Times

**Chapter 23: How Many More Times **

Savannah shifted restlessly in the front seat of the Impala. They'd been parked in front of the bar where she'd met Derrick for half an hour. Dean was trying and failing to remember the bartender's name.

"Allison? No. Amanda? No, that's not right either." His brow furrowing as he mumbled to himself. Savannah knew it was Annaleigh, but she was too busy watching out for anything unusual to correct him. To be honest, she was a bit nervous to be back in the city. Her now healing injuries were groaning in remembrance and she swallowed back the wave of fear that was working through her. They only had one shot at ganking this monster and she had to focus. Another few minutes passed in silence before Dean's phone vibrated furiously.

"Yeah Sammy? _Annaleigh! That's _what it was!" He said with an excited nod to Savannah.

"Nope, nothing here. Well, just keep looking and we'll keep our eyes open." Dean said confidently before tossing the phone back of the dash.

"Still no sign of his phantom house yet." He updated her. She gave him a small nod as her eyes canvassed the street around them again. Dean sighed and shifted to face her.

"Musta been pretty bad." He said and Savannah threw him a confused look.

"What musta been pretty bad?" She asked, wondering what the hell he was smoking.

"The dream you had that's making you all spooked like this." He said matter-of-factly and Savannah had to stop her jaw from dropping open. She had hoped she'd been more coy about all this.

"What makes you think I had a dream?" She tried sounding casual, cursing as her voice wavered.

"Well, the fact that you haven't taken your eyes off the street since we left the motel. Oh, and that weird thing where you can't look Sam in the eye." He said nonchalantly and Savannah silently hoped she hadn't been too obvious about that.

"We should really be worried about the job right now, Dean." She said quickly. Dean looked at her and his eyes were pleading with her to just open up already. She sighed, not wanting to raise alarm. It had only been a dream, after all and things were already strained between the boys as it was.

"C'mon, Van. How bad could it have been?" He asked and Savannah closed her eyes.

"It was about Sam." She started, hoping to leave it at that. The uneasiness of that dream was still scaring the hell out of her.

"And?" Dean pressed on gently. She exhaled and looked out the window, unable to look at him as she continued.

"He…He was a demon." She kept going, trying hard to control the trembling in her voice.

"He…killed you. Told me I was too late to save either of you." She finished quietly, remembering the sheer panic that had gripped her as Sam's hand closed around her throat. She swallowed back a sob as Dean's arms pulled her in.

"Hey…it's alright, Vannie. It was just a dream. You know that won't ever happen." Dean cooed softly into her ear. She shook her head into his shoulder.

"But what if we don't know? What if that wasn't a dream and Sam kills you? What happens if I'm too late?" She spewed. Her fears tumbled off her tongue and Dean took her face in his hand.

"_I _know. Because I won't ever let that happen. _Ever._" Dean said firmly and his eyes were bright with conviction. The determination in his eyes soothed her fears some and she nodded. Dean gave her one of his lopsided smiles as he gave a nod behind her.

"Head's up. There's our Ole' Hi…whatever." He said as Annaleigh finished her goodbyes and slipped into a red Honda somethingorother. They trailed her and Savannah looked at Dean from the corner of her eye. He looked pensive as he drove. His brow hunched as he probably tried to decipher her dream. She knew he wouldn't express his concern outright. He'd internalize all his emotions and drink them away in the true Dean Winchester fashion. She exhaled and shifted her attention to the seemingly innocent bartender they were following.

"It's a shame, really. Annaleigh looks _pre-tty _flexible if you ask me." Dean said, throwing her a suggestive look. Savannah rolled her eyes and let out a disgusted sigh. Typical Dean didn't care if this was a blood sucking monster, it had boobs and that was good enough for him.

"Oh honestly! Do you have to hit on _every_ chick you see?" She snapped a little too harshly. The playful look in Dean's eyes faded.

"Well…I mean….does it really bother you that much?" His voice was genuinely concerned. She held back a small smile at his worried expression. Honestly, she wasn't sure _why_ it bothered her so much to watch Dean hit on women. Something about it had always irked her.

"Sometimes. I mean, maybe just once you could pick a girl who has a bigger I.Q than a cup size." She offered feebly. Dean's choice in women had been the subject of more than a few of Savannah's jabs over the years. Dean pondered her advice for a second before he gave her a half hearted shrug and she gave up, looking out the window. If she had been paying attention, she would have caught the adoring look Dean sent her less than a second later. They followed the car quietly for another 10 minutes before Dean turned up the Metallica tape she'd gotten him for his 17th birthday. She checked her phone again, seeing no calls from either Sam or Bobby.

It was then that she noticed the date. September 24th. 3 more days until her birthday. She fiddled once again with the necklace that held her parents' wedding rings, thinking of the picture she had tucked away deep in her bag. She brought it out every now and then, after the boys had fallen asleep and she was left to her thoughts in the middle of the night. She would smile at her mother's face stretched eternally into a laugh at something her Dad had said. She would wonder to herself what her mother's voice sounded like and what her father had said to make her laugh like that. But the thing she loved most about it is the life that radiated in her father's eyes. She couldn't ever remember a time where they hadn't been worn and tired. Savannah could count on both hands the number of times she had heard her father laugh and she hoped that if there was a heaven, both of them were there.

The screeching guitars of Metallica brought her back to reality and she caught Dean air drumming from the corner of her eye. Savannah stifled back a smile at the fact that Dean would always be a giant 5 year old. She set her eyes back on the raod and watched Annaleigh as they drove on into the night. Dean lowered the music as the car took a left and started down a quiet side road. The two of them exchanged unsure looks as Savannah caught a street name. She flipped open her phone and called Sam.

"Sam? We're still following her. We're on Smithson Road and something's weird." She said, her eyes locked on the red ahead.

"Alright. We'll be there. Just…be careful, alright?" Sam requested, worried.

They slowed, watching as Annaleigh slipped from her car up ahead. She entered a tired looking house that looked nothing like the one Sam had seen. Something was definitely weird. Savannah swallowed back the fear that had lumped itself in her throat as they slid from the car. The lights in the house were off, save one that shined from a small basement window. Savannah wrapped her jacket around her, trying to ward off the chill in the fall air.

"You take the back and I'll take the front." Dean whispered, giving her a nervous smile as she nodded. She took a deep breath, trying to settle herself as she brandished her gun. She wasn't sure what the hell was going to happen, but she would be ready when it did. She made her way around back, checking the dark windows carefully for any sign of trouble. She found nothing amiss as she reached the back door. It was cracked open a little bit and Savannah knew it was definitely _not_ a good sign, but she entered anyways. She kept her gun at the ready, wondering where the hell Dean was. She should have run into him already, seeing as the house wasn't that big. She had made it to the living room before the floorboards creaked behind her.

She spun around, ready to shoot first and ask questions later. The lights flicked on that the only thing she saw was the knife to Dean's neck.


	24. For Your Life

**A/N: Sorry if this isn't my best chapter. I had a little trouble with how to word it. As always, enjoy and review! :)**

**Chapter 24: For Your Life**

The world seemed to slow and all Savannah could hear for a few seconds was her heart thudding in her chest. She watched a smile curl on the man's lips as the knife inched closer to Dean's skin.

"If you touch him, I swear to God…" She spat viciously as the man let out a cold laugh. Annaleigh and another man strolled out of the shadows.

"You'll what? _Shoot_ him?" Annaleigh scoffed.

"I'll shoot every damn one of you." Savannah snarled, swallowing back the blind panic that was begging her to shoot first and ask questions later.

"I doubt that. Not while Dean's in the way." The monster in front of her said. Savannah fell quiet, knowing fully well she was right. She heard the click of a gun to her head.

"Guess I'm not the only one bringing a gun to a knife fight." She smirked at her own joke. Annaleigh studied her for a minute, sizing her up and Savannah's eyes were defiant as they met Annaleigh's.

"I suggest you put that gun of yours down." Annaleigh cooed sweetly. Savannah stood her ground, keeping her gun firmly pointed on the man with the knife. The air was clouded with tension but all Savannah cared about right in that moment was Dean.

"I said, put the damn gun DOWN!" Annaleigh repeated with a flare of impatience. The knife pressed harshly into Dean's neck and Savannah watched a trickle of blood trail into the collar of his shirt.

"Just do it, Van." She heard Dean say through gritted teeth. Her eyes flashed dangerously as a warning that this wasn't close to over.

"That's a girl." She heard Annaleigh say as she dropped the gun to the ground with a clatter. Savannah's eyes drifted to Dean and he was tense. She watched the gears in his head turning as he tried to figure out how the hell they were getting out of this one. She was sure they'd been in stickier situations than this, but she couldn't remember when. The two of them were led into the shabby dining room and bound to dust covered chairs. The air of satisfaction that hung around Annaleigh did nothing to calm the murderous thoughts that were whirling through Savannah's mind.

"I'll kill you for this." Dean said quietly and Annaleigh let out a smug chuckle.

"I have to say, your other pick up line was much better, Dean. And Derrick told me you'd be a challenge." Annaleigh said, feigning disappointment. Dean arched an eyebrow as his face fell to perplexity.

"So, you're a demon?" He asked, sounding as surprised as Savannah felt. She had to force herself not to shudder at the mention of Derrick as she remembered the knife plunging into her over and over again.

"Me? No. I'm the last of a dying breed. Ole Higues are all but extinct." Annaleigh said and Savannah noted the sadness in her eyes. For a fleeting second Savannah almost felt sorry for her. _Almost._

"So you're _working_ with them. Smart move." She snorted as a grin crept onto Annaleigh's flawless face.

"The opportunity just sort of fell into my lap. Here I am trying to lay low and in walks Azazel with a deal. I deliver Dean and precious Sam Winchester, and in return I get to live."

Savannah's heart jumped into her throat. They had led Sam right to Yellow Eyes. She closed her eyes and did her best not to panic. They'd gotten out of worse and this was no different. They would keep Sammy safe at any cost. Savannah would rather die than see something happen to her boys. She knew without a doubt that she'd give her life to save theirs.

"What about Savannah? Where does she fit into all this?" She heard Dean ask nervously.

"An added perk I suppose. Azazel told me she was all mine. And I must say, I can't wait to sink my teeth into you." Annaleigh ran a longing hand along her cheek. She watched the color drain from Dean's face as their eyes met. If he wasn't worried before, he certainly was now. Savannah couldn't blame him, it's not every day she found herself about to be someone's sippy cup.

"Why me?" She said. Her voice was calm as her eyes met Annaleigh's.

"Because I've found that love about all else keeps me younger. Children are full of it. So innocent and loving. Ready to trust anyone with no questions asked. And you, Savannah Miller are the key to keeping me young forever. The love you have for your precious boys will me this way for centuries. You're so determined to keep them safe, so ready to die for them at any second. That's the purest love of all. The kind that makes you want to sacrifice everything for someone." Annaleigh said as Dean cast her a look that told her he knew the feeling. Savannah flashed back to every time they'd fought for one another. All the times the boys had kick some guys ass when he got a little too pushy with her, or the times when Dean had defended Sam when they were in school. They had proved to each other again and again that they were willing to die for each other. If that wasn't family than Savannah wasn't sure if she had ever known the meaning.

To be honest, Savannah hadn't ever been worried about dying. She knew that everyone had a time and hers would come eventually. She wasn't sure when it would come or how fast it would be, but she'd always assumed it would be on a hunt gone wrong. If she was lucky, she would die of cirrhosis years after finally quitting the lifestyle. She had never been scared of _dying_, but she had always been scared of being alone when she did. The worst thing she could imagine would be dying alone and scared and _vulnerable_. No, she knew that the last thing she wanted to see before she left this world was her boys. She wanted to make sure that they would be okay, even without her. She hated to say it, but she hoped to God that she was the first of them to go. She wasn't sure she'd be able to go on without Sam or Dean. She wouldn't be able to wake up every day hoping that it was just a dream, only to find one less toothbrush by the sink. It would kill her to turn around to say something and realize that one of the boys was missing, forever gone. She'd rather be dead than live like that. And she was prepared for it, like she was for many things. That's why in the very bottom of her bag, under all the clothes and maps and books, lay a small handgun with just one bullet. Because Savannah knew that life without the boys wouldn't be living at all.


	25. Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You

**Chapter 25: Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You**

The room was quiet as Savannah processed the information she'd just heard. Dean thrashed violently in the chair next to her.

"Don't you touch her!" He threatened and Savannah watched a smile dance across Annaleigh's lips.

"Now, now Dean. You should probably be worrying about yourself right now. Azazel's been waiting a long time to meet you. It's just a shame Savannah here won't be able to make it to the party." She jeered, running another hand across the nape of Savannah's neck.

"Go to hell." Savannah hissed. Her eyes were wild with fearlessness. Annaleigh let out a chuckle of amusement. She leaned in until Savannah could feel her breath in her ear.

"After you, sugar."

Savannah had just opened her mouth to reply when a commotion outside the back door grabbed everyone's attention. Annaleigh gave her men a silent command with a simple nod of her head. Dean and Savannah traded uneasy looks as Savannah let out a silent prayer that Sam wasn't stupid enough to waltz right into the place. A second later she could feel her heart sink right into her stomach as Sam appeared bruised and bleeding in the doorway. She took note that Bobby was nowhere to be found and hoped this was all a apart of some plan they'd cooked up. The pleasure in Annaleigh's face was glowing as she soaked up the sight of the three of them bound and helpless in front of her.

"Can't say I expected to see this when I woke up in the morning. What more could a girl ask for?" Her words slid from her lips with a satisfied air. Savannah's eyes drifted to Sam and she wondered how he could be so stupid. Clearly it was a trap and he should have known that from the second he laid eyes on the place. His eyes met hers she watched his eyes flash with nervousness. Whatever he was planning had better be good. Dean was staring silently at his brother, his eyes looking for any sign of something wrong or some hint to the plan Sam was working on. Savannah sighed and knew they'd have to bide their time until Bobby showed up with the gun power. The three of them watched warily as Annaleigh whispered something into the ear of one of the jockeys that was standing by idly. The man nodded and disappeared from the room.

"You shouldn't drag them into this. This is about me. Not them." Sam said boldly and Savannah watched Dean tense for just a second.

"Sam, don't-" He started, his eyes starting to get that hint of desperation when Sam did something like this. But Sam stopped him before he could get another word out.

"Dean, stop. Yellow Eyes wants me. You're not dying because of this. I won't let it happen. Just take me." He told Annaleigh again.

"Sorry Sammy. I don't make the deals. Azazel should be here any minute now if you two wanna run that little number by him again." She mocked. Savannah wished more than anything she could knock that smug look off the bitch's face. Sam sat back with a resigned sigh and shot another look to Dean whose eyes were practically begging him not to do anything stupid. Savannah knew that Dean never gave Sam enough credit. The kid was smart. Hell, he'd have been a lawyer by now if the two of them hadn't shown up at his apartment and dragged him back into the damn life. But now wasn't time to think about it. Right now, Savannah just wished that Bobby would hurry the hell up already. They didn't have any time to waste and she wasn't sure if she should be more worried about herself or the boys. But that was always an easy decision for her. Her boys would always come first.

"I have to say Sammy, I'm a little sad you didn't put up more of a fight. I expected more from you."

The familiar voice sent shivers crawling down her spine. Instantly she watched the panic burst across Dean's face. Savannah took a deep breath and readied her game face. If this was how it ended, she sure as hell wasn't going out crying. Yellow Eyes sauntered into the room and Annaleigh's smile widened at the sight of him. Savannah tensed against the rope, the anger inside of her flourishing as his eyes swept across them. Azazel's eyes came to a stop on her and a wicked grin spread across his face.

"Savannah Miller. My goodness how you've grown." He said, his voice dripping with malevolent charm.

"You're not here for them. Just take me." Sam piped up and Yellow Eyes turned his gaze towards him. Savannah remembered the last time she'd seen those yellow eyes staring at her from inside John's head. She remembered the way Dean's hand wavered as he pointed the gun at his father, unsure of what to do. She saw the same look in his eyes now and realized that Dean, for once, didn't have a plan. He was helpless, paralyzed by the thought of losing the last of his family. Azazel's chuckle brought her back to reality.

"Why the rush? Gotta learn to stop and smell the roses, Sammy. It's the simple things in life, afterall." Azazel mused, throwing up a haphazard arm.

"Bite me." Savannah muttered through gritted teeth.

"In due time, my dear. Annaleigh here is practically chomping at the bit. No pun intended." He said, clearly amused by himself. Sam's face shifted from anger to confusion, his eyes darting between all of them.

"Seems Sammy here hasn't heard the news. I'm afraid Savannah here won't be able to join us. She's…other wise engaged." He said smugly shooting a glance towards Annaleigh. Sam's face dropped and for the first time in a long time, he looked just like the scared little boy who used to hide behind Dean. The room grew quiet again and Azazel checked his watch.

"It's a shame too. Almost someone's birthday. I always love a good party." He sighed. Savannah let out a chuckle at the irony of the fact that her dad had given his life on her birthday and now she wouldn't even make it to her 25th.

"You sonofabitch!" Dean hissed, throwing himself around wildly once again. She knew he was panicking now and she was beginning to wonder where Bobby was.

"Such a colorful vocabulary, Dean. You might want to choose your next few words wisely. They just might be the last one Savannah ever hears out of your mouth." Annaleigh purred, a twisted smirk planted on her face. Savannah watched the color drain from Sam and Dean's face as her heart began to race. This couldn't really be the end, right? There was no way she was _really _going out like this. Not tied up and left alone. Not without Sam and Dean. She closed her eyes and did her best to even her now shaking hands. Her eyes locked with Sam's and she gave him a half mustered smile. Even now, it was still instinct to put on a brave façade for her boys. To be strong even when she was truly, honestly scared.

"It's alright Sammy." She whispered as a tear trailed it's way down his cheek. She felt like her heart was going to explode from her chest as she forced herself to look at Dean. She watch his lip quiver as he tried to hold it all in. She saw the dread that had etched it's way onto his face. She was losing it now, watching her boys try and keep a brave face for her. The tears had leaked from her and were making their way down her face, tickling her neck as they fell.

"You take care of him, Dean. I mean it. And make sure you take care of yourself." She said, trying to keep the waver out of her voice.

"As touching as this was, we've got somewhere to be. So if you don't mind, I think the boys and I will take our leave." Azazel announced and Savannah couldn't rip her eyes away from her boys.

"Savannah!" She heard Dean yell. She watched Sam's mouth open before they were gone with a snap of Azazel's fingers.

Savannah sat there, staring at the space where her boys used to be. The image of Dean's pleading face was burning her memory and she stifled back a sob. This really was the end. This is how she died. Trapped like a rat in a goddamn cage. This wasn't the way she was supposed to die. She was supposed to grow old and crotchety, sipping strongly spiked lemonade with her boys. She wasn't supposed to die without them. For the first time in almost 15 years, Savannah Miller felt utterly and truly alone.

She had forgotten Annaleigh was even there until she the monster took a seat in front of her.

"Since you're about to die anyway, tell me something." The blonde asked and Savannah was surprised at the gentleness in her voice. She looked at Annaleigh through teary eyes.

"What the _hell_ are you so interested in? Didn't your mother ever tell you not to play with your food?" She did her best to sound angry but the fight in her was clearly gone. She didn't care anymore. God only knows what was happening to Sam and Dean right now. She thought of the boys laid out on tables, being poked and prodded with things she would only imagine in her worst nightmares. She could almost hear them screaming and it was enough to make her collapse into a mess of burning tears. Savannah shook the image from her mind and focused her thoughts on Annaleigh.

"Was Dean your first love?" The question caught her off guard. She tore her gaze away and looked at the floor.

"Wh-what?! What the hell makes you think I _love_ Dean?" She stammered, unsure of how to answer a question like that.

"I don't think, I _know. _Ole Higue's know these things. It's how we feed, how we chose our prey. And your love for Dean, it's overpowering. It's not like anything I've ever seen before." Annaleigh said, hunger flashing through her eyes.

"That's none of your goddamn business." Savannah snapped, doing her best to cover her the panic that was racing through her. Annaleigh rose and circled behind her. Savannah could feel the craving surging through her and knew that she wouldn't make it out of this one. This time her luck had finally run dry.

"Just answer the question, Savannah. Tell me and I'll make it quick." Annaleigh whispered into her ear. Savannah shut her eyes, letting the tears fall as they may.

"Of course he was." She admitted. And as Annaleigh's teeth pierced her skin, she wasn't thinking of her father, or Sam or Bobby. No, the only thing Savannah could see was Dean. And just for a second, she was perfectly okay.


	26. Houses Of The Holy

**Chapter 26: Houses Of The Holy**

Savannah could feel the life draining from her. She closed her eyes hard, trying to ward off the wooziness that was making her vision blur. The world was slipping away at the edges, leaving a black cloud that was making it hard to focus; though she did her best to stay with it.

"Please…" She heard herself murmur, but her voice sounded strained and distant. She was starting to get sleepy, like she did after a few too many beers. Her eyes felt like they were made of lead and she struggled to keep them open. She forced herself to think of anything to keep her awake.

Her daddy's scruffy face floated into her memory and she could remember instantly the smell of his aftershave. She had wondered a lot about what he had done when the hellhounds had come for him. She wondered if he had cried, or stood tall like the stubborn man she'd always knew. She had always pictured him going in the same ratty flannel he'd had since before she was born, a half empty bottle of Jack sitting on the table.

She wondered if her boys would make it, if they would be okay without her or if they'd end up broken just like so many other hunters they knew. It was the thought of her boys torn and dismal that sparked her will to live. She was raised a Winchester after all, and Winchesters _always_ went down swinging. She jerked about, mustering the last of her energy in a fit of protest.

"Don't try to fight, sugar. There's no use." Annaleigh's voice whispered in her ear and Savannah held strong to her last bit of consciousness.

"They'll come for you. Dean will personally make sure of that." She muttered through the dark cloud that had spread across her vision. Savannah could feel Annaleigh retract her putrid fangs from her neck and her face appeared in her ever blurring vision.

"Do you believe he'll save you? That he'll come through like all the other times before? Is your faith in him that strong that you're willing to bet your life on it?" Her words poured through the darkness. Savannah struggled to bring her eyes to Annaleigh's.

"Always." She managed, knowing that it had never been a question to believe in Dean. It had never occurred to her _not_ to have faith in him. Dean had never let her down, not ever.

"I have seen many things in my centuries on this world, Savannah. I have seen war, grief, passion, joy. But I have to say that never have I seen such unyielding loyalty in the face of death. Such hope for love is new to me." Annaleigh said, the awe oozing from her words.

Savannah could picture Dean sitting on that dock with that puppy dog smile slapped on his stupid face. She could see him asleep next to her in the back of the Impala as John pulled out of their umpteenth rest stop, his arm thrown across her shoulders as he lazily played with Sammy's hair. She could see him sighing as Sammy tried yet again to steal his clothes, pretending to be annoyed even she knew he secretly loved it. Savannah fought hard through the haziness that was surrounding her, forcing her eyes to meet Annaleigh's with as much conviction as she could gather.

"That's because you've never found anything worth fighting for."

The thirst in Annaleigh's eyes returned with voracity and once again she could feel the blood like it was being pulled from every cell in her body. The black cloud whirled once again through her vision and she could hear her heartbeat as it slowed. Her skin was clammy, and she was shivering now, a sure sign that things were coming to a close. The final curtain call on Savannah Miller. She fought hard against the anguish of the fleeting thought. She wondered if it was true that your life flashed before you as you died, if she would see things in one fast blink or if it would play out like a movie.

A memory flashed through her brain of the last camping trip she'd taken with her daddy before he died. She was 8 and he'd just finished hunting something he wouldn't ever tell her about, not for her lack of trying. He'd just shook his head as they pulled into the camp ground and told her they were taking a night off. Savannah had always found this strange, seeing as they were always jumping from one job to the next. She had asked him about it as they poked at the camp fire later that night.

"_Daddy?" She'd asked, waiting until the night had quieted down to the dull murmur of crickets that always told her summer was well under way. _

"_Yeah, sugar?" He said, his face soft in the firelight._

"_Why' are we here? Don't you have a job in Kansas City?" And for the first time in a long time her daddy let out a genuine smile. One that lit up his whole face and made his eyes sparkle. He had pulled her in closer on the log they'd been sitting on and wrapped an arm around her._

"_Well, lovebug, I'm not gonna be around forever, ya see. It's my job as your daddy to teach you a lot of different stuff while I can. It's not just about hunting, Van. It's about a lot of other stuff too." Her father had spoken slow, choosing his words carefully as he stoked the dwindling fire. Savannah could remember being confused about it, wondering what kind of lesson she was supposed to be getting from camping. She had turned to him after a minute._

"_So what are you teaching me here?" She asked and her daddy had given her that smile that told her she was being too curious again. He planted a kiss on her head and stroked her hair._

"_I'm teaching you to enjoy the little things, at least while you can, sugar." _

And if Savannah could remember one lasting lesson her daddy had ever taught her, it was that the little things were important too. It was the reason she had made Dean stop at all the stupid attractions along the highways, or took the time to take pictures of things that made her smile, even if it was stupid things like drawing on Sam while he was sleeping.

Savannah felt her breathing become strenuous, and her heartbeat fading with every breath she struggled to take. This was it, the final plunge. She hoped to God she'd come back a ghost just to haunt their asses. Just as she had accepted it, had found comfort in the warm weariness that was melting its way through her, Annaleigh stopped again. Savannah was spinning still, whirling away into the darkness that was beckoning when Annaleigh's teeth were no longer sucking the life from her. She cracked an eye open, fighting for a peek at the reason for Annaleigh's rest. It was getting harder to breath now and she could barely remember where she was anymore, but the last thing she saw before the darkness swallowed her consciousness completely was a beat up trucker hat.


	27. In The Light

**Let me know what you guys think! I had a hell of a time with this chapter so reviews would be awesome! As always, enjoy! **

**Chapter 27: In The Light**

Savannah knows she dead because right now, she's staring at her father. He's older than when he died, maybe about 50 if she guessed right. They're sitting at an empty park bench and he's just smiling at her like nothing is wrong.

"Daddy?" She says uncertainly, not really sure of what to make of it.

"Hi, princess. Been a while, huh?" He says and his eyes are beaming at the sight of her.

"Where…Am I…dead?" She forces herself to ask the question. Honestly, she doesn't really want to know. Her father is quiet for a minute as he takes in the sight of her, all grown up in front of him. Even now she can tell he's stalling. Savannah sighs impatiently and gives him an annoyed look.

"Not…yet." He spits out after a second. Savannah looks around at where they are. The sun is shining on the rolling hills around them and the clouds are swimming by leisurely overhead, but there's not a single soul around except the two of them.

"What do you mean, _not yet_?" She asked, swallowing back the fear that's crawling up her spine. Her father clears his throat and takes her hand in his. It's warm and she can still count the calluses that line his finger tips.

"It's your choice, darlin'. You're the one that decides what happens." He says and just as she opens her mouth, there's a pounding thud on her chest.

()()()()()()()()

Someone is slamming on her chest like the goddamn Hulk, but Savannah can't open her mouth. She's weak, and she can feel the air forcing itself into her lungs.

"Is she allergic to anything Mr. Singer?" A man asks hurriedly.

"No sir. Is…is she gonna be okay?" She can hear Bobby's voice float past her and in the background there's an ambulance siren wailing. She's tired and all she wants to do is see her father again, but the pure anguish in Bobby's voice is keeping her awake.

"We won't know how bad it is until we get her to the hospital. She's lost a lot of blood. What exactly did you say happened?" The medic sounds suspicious and Savannah is too weak to try and swat him off of her. If she concentrates she can hear a barely audible heartbeat that she figures is hers.

"It's like I told the police, I came home and found her like that. I don't know what happened. Can you tell your buddy to get the lead out?" Bobby sounds angry but she can hear the panic hiding under his frustration. She's dying right in front of him. She tries hard to open her mouth or twitch a finger so he knows she's still there, but nothing happens. The EMT checks her pulse again and she can hear the machine beeping to let them both know she hasn't checked out yet. Suddenly, she can feel Bobby's rough hand slide into hers.

"Don't you dare give up on me yet, girl." Bobby's voice dances into her ear as the darkness envelopes her again.

()()()()()()()()

She watches her daddy roll a cigarette in between his fingers for a second before he lights it. It's a habit that always driven her crazy, but he still does it, despite every time she's asked him not to. She had asked him about it once on a car ride that seemed to last forever, getting some reply about it being passed down to him. She looks at him, taking in every detail she can. He still looks the same. He's still wearing that beat up flannel and those jeans with the hole he would never let her patch us. It gave them "character" he would tell her.

"God, you look just like your mother." His voice jolts her from her thoughts. She smiles slightly.

"I know, dad." She heard that sentence every day for 10 years and damn if she didn't miss it now. She looks at the ground, mustering the courage for the questions she's about to ask.

"Daddy?" She says, slightly nervous.

"Yes, monkey?"

"What did you mean earlier? About it being my choice?" She asks, cringing at the way she sounds like a kid. Her father takes a drag of his cigarette, carefully choosing the words he's about to say.

"Well, cupcake. You're at a fork. It's a hard decision and once you make it, there's no turning back. But it's up to you, love." He tells her and suddenly she realizes that all she can hear is the heart monitor bleeping at her.

()()()()()()()()

Savannah can barely see the lights as they rush above her head. She's aware of the squeak of shoes meeting the linoleum floor. Savannah makes a note to kill Bobby for taking her to the hospital, if she makes it that is. The doctors are talking too fast for her to hear all of what they're saying. It's making her head hurt just trying. They're sticking her with needles and right now all she wants to do is bash that heart monitor that's beeping incessantly in her ear. She peers through barely cracked eyes again and they fall on Bobby. He's pale as a ghost and she's never seen him so shaken up before.

Finally the motion stops and she can clearly hear the doctor now. They're talking to Bobby in that tone of voice that never _really_ helps comfort someone.

"She's lost a lot of blood, Mr. Singer. She's hanging on, but things might take a turn for the worst. She's a fighter though, I'll tell you that much." She can tell by the doctor's voice that he already thinks she's a goner. _Thanks, asshole._

"Thanks, Doc." Bobby sounds strained. If she knows him, he's sipping from a flask and trying to figure out just what the hell to do next. The sudden smell of dust and whiskey tells her that Bobby's next to her. He's leaning in and she can feel him place a wet kiss on her forehead.

"You tell anyone I did that and I'll kill you myself." He whispers in her ear. Savannah tries to crack a smile as the world slips away again.

()()()()()()()()

For a while, the two of them were quiet. Savannah watched the clouds as they strolled along over head. She could hear her dad puffing away on his cigarette. So this was heaven. It was quiet and peaceful, though not quite what she had imagined. She pulled her gaze away from the endless blue sky and asked her dad something she'd been wondering for a long time.

"Are you happy?"

Her father inhaled, thinking for a second before he replied.

"Sure. Food's not half bad." He joked, but she knew he was.

"Is…Mom here?" She watched his eyes grow sad for just a second.

"She is. Still quite the cook, too." A smile spread across his face before he continued.

"You could stay, Van." He finished quiet and Savannah stared at him in disbelief.

"What?"

"Stay here. It's peaceful here. No hunting, no worries." Her father does his best to convince her. But Savannah knows there's no way she can do that.

"But Sam and Dean…." She starts, the newly formed tears are blurring her vision. She has a choice to make after all. If she stays here, she dies in the real world. She simply just doesn't wake up. She thinks about the two of them and Bobby standing over her casket and the thought alone is enough to send the tears trailing down her face. Her daddy stands and wraps her in arms that haven't held her in a long time.

"Like I said, princess, the choice is yours. You go take care of those boys, same as you always have. I'll always be here when you're ready." He whispered into her ear. She holds him close, letting her tears form a wet spot on his jacket.

"I'm sorry. I love you, Daddy."

And just before she fades back to reality, she hears the 5 words she's been waiting to hear for a long time.

"I love you too, sugar."

()()()()()()()()

Savannah's eyes are blurry as they open. The world around her is twisted and hazy and it takes a second to realize that Bobby's face is floating in front of her.

"Van?! Vannie?" It sounds like he's under water. Savannah brings a hand to her face, flinching as the IV's strain in her skin. God, she fucking hates hospitals. Her hazy eyes drift to Bobby and she can see the relief that's pouring out of him. He calls frantically for the doctors. Savannah tries to sit up, despite the fact that the world is still spinning and Bobby eases her back down.

"Easy there, tiger. You had a hell of a close one back there." He mutters to her as the doctor comes strolling in. She sat uncomfortably while the doctor poked and prodded her; being patient more for Bobby's sake then her own.

"You're stable, for now, Miss Singer. But I suggest you try and get some rest. You'll need more fluids and we'd like to keep you around for observation for a while before we feel comfortable discharging you." The doctor said as Savannah gave him a tired nod. Savannah watched him go, waiting until the door clicked shut.

"Where are they?" She forced herself to talk. She had to know what had happened to Sam and Dean.

"I..I don't know. But I'm tracking them as best I can. You just need to worry about getting better." Bobby reassured her as best as he could. Savannah was already busy tearing out some of the various IV's they'd shoved into her skin.

"I have to find them, Bobby. They're in trouble." She said hurriedly, trying to cover the panic that was roaring at her. Sam and Dean were in danger, maybe even dead. No, she couldn't think like that. Something in her was telling her they were still alive. Bobby sighed from the left of her.

"For once, Savannah Jean, can you just worry about yourself for a second? You almost _died._ Another couple minutes and I woulda lost ya." Bobby's eyes were sad, despite the fact that his face wouldn't show it. Savannah stopped, realizing that Bobby was probably just thankful he had saved her at all. Before he knew what hit him, Savannah had pulled him in, throwing her arms awkwardly around him as best she could. He sunk into it after a second.

"Thanks, Bobby." She mumbled into his shoulder and she could feel him smile.

"Don't mention it." He said and she let out a smile before she spoke again.

"I promise not to tell anyone about that kiss." She whispered, watching as his face fell to utter shock, an emotion that was not commonly seen on the face of Bobby Singer.


	28. Tea For One

**Chapter 28: Tea For One**

Savannah had been waiting for the better part of two hours for the doctors to give her the all clear to leave. She'd been at the hospital for 3 days, which was 2 days and 23 hours more than she'd wanted.

She sighed, swinging her bare feet as she perched on the edge of the bed, her eyes anxiously watching the clock. She bit her lip, warding off the panic that was forcing her eyes to well. Savannah wasn't worried about her goddamn vitals or the fact that her blood pressure was still too low. She was worried about the fact that Sam and Dean were god knows where and she was wasting time farting around in the hospital. Bobby had been more than clear on getting her healthy, promising to call in every favor he had if she would stay put. She flipped open her phone, scrolling to Dean's number. It went straight to voicemail.

"This is Dean. Leave your name and nightmare at the beep."

She closed her eyes at the sound of his voice, hoping that she'd hear it again. No, she _knew_ she would. She had to believe that. Just as she had opened her eyes, Bobby strolled in carrying coffee from the more than questionable cafeteria. Immediately, Savannah was pestering him, much like she'd done every time she'd seen him since Sam and Dean had gone missing.

"Anything?" She asked hopefully before he could even get a foot in the door. But Bobby just shook his head, sighing as he handed her coffee.

"Sorry, nothing yet. A few small possessions and a couple of cattle mutilations, but nothing big." He said regretfully. Savannah knew this had to be weighing on him too. He loved those boys just as much as she did. Hell, maybe even more. But she was tired of sitting around and twirling her thumbs instead of looking for them. Savannah may have been a lot of things, but helpless had never one of them.

"We have to find them, Bobby. Before….something happens." The words stumbled off her tongue hesitantly. Despite her even tone, she was a raging mess of worry and fear. Bobby took a seat on the edge of the bed next to her, his tired eyes looking right into hers.

"You listen to me. Sam and Dean are two of the best damn hunters I've ever seen. Only thing that'll kill them will be each other." He said quietly before leaning in closer. "And if anyone will find them, it'll be you."

Savannah nodded, holding back the flood of worries that was weighing on her. She wanted to scream and cry. She wanted to ask Bobby what she was supposed to do if they were dead. Ask him how she was supposed to move on and live without the two of them. But she held her composure, throwing another glance at the clock. Just as she was about to hit the nurses button and raise all hell, the doctor casually strolled in.

"Well, Savannah. You seem to be out of the worst of it. Avoid strenuous activities and be sure to rest and push those fluids. Come back if you have shortness of breath or dizzy spells." He said, checking the clipboard in his hands as he spoke. Savannah barely bothered to shake his hand before dashing out of the linoleum floored death trap.

She squinted as she stepped into the sun, shading her eyes for a second before she spotted the Impala. It looked empty and desolate without Dean in the driver's seat. Savannah swallowed the lump of emotions in her throat as she started for the car. Bobby had sensed her emotions and handed her the keys. She eased herself into the driver's seat, half waiting for Dean to pop up and throw a fit. But he didn't and she started the car, noticing that it still smelled like leather and oil. She watched Bobby jump as the speakers blared Metallica and stifled a smirk as they cruised out of the parking lot.

The 15 minute ride to the motel was quiet. Partly due to Bobby hating small talk and partly due to the fact that Savannah was doing everything she could to keep it together. They had work to do and crying, as John would have said, wouldn't solve their problems. Savannah brushed off the worried look she got from Bobby as she eased open the motel door. Everything was perfectly as they had left it, right down to the TV, which was now playing the Spanish equivalent of Grey's Anatomy, as far as she could tell. The only difference was the silence. It was blaringly quiet and Savannah's lip was quivering now. She sat on the bed as Bobby cracked a beer. She let her gaze wander over the boy's meager belongings until it landed on Dean's worn out leather jacket.

She could remember the first time Dean had ever worn it. John had given it to him on his 16th birthday. It was far too big for him, but Dean's eyes had shined as he slipped it on. It was more than a jacket, it was John's. All Dean had ever wanted was to be like his father, to be strong and resilient, and having that jacket was one step closer to that. Dean hadn't taken the damn thing off since then. He'd grown into it after a few years, proud to be wearing it. It was his prized possession until John had given him the Impala for his 20th, making Dean swear that he'd take care of her. And Savannah had never seen anyone love their car like Dean loved the Impala. Because to Dean, and Sam, it wasn't just a car. It was home. It was the only home they'd ever known. They'd spent years of their lives crammed in the back seat, fighting over video games or who had _really _won 20 questions. It was their childhood, Sam hadn't known any other place. He'd been raised in that car for Christ's sakes.

The dam that was holding back her emotions snapped and before she knew it, she was crying, clutching the jacket to her as the sobs rocked her body. She needed them. She was terrified of the idea of being without them, of not having Dean's snoring lull her to sleep, or having to tear Sam out of the nearest library. They were part of her soul, her very essence of life and without them, she was nothing. She had lived her whole life assuming that they would always be right there next to her and now, without them she was broken. She didn't know how to be herself without them. There was no one in the world that knew her like they did. No one that could make her laugh when everything went to shit, no one who pissed her off quite like they could. It had always been them, easy as breathing.

Bobby scooped her up in a hug, he smelled like transmition fluid and whiskey and she could feel his scruff against her face.

"It's alright, Van. Just take a deep breath."

She looked at Bobby through tear stained vision. The anger and frustration was escaping from her.

"It's not alright!" She snapped through gritted teeth, doing her best to push away from Bobby. But the old brut held strong, forcing her to sit still.

"You should have let her kill me." Savannah whispered bitterly into Bobby's shoulder. He pulled her up, forcing her to look him in the eye.

"Don't you ever say that again! Your father died for you and now you're just gonna punch out because shit hit the fan? You got two boys out there who would do anything in the world for you! And you're talking like they're already dead!" He snapped, doing his best to rationalize with her. Bobby was right, the best thing she could do was work like hell to find her boys. In her heart, she knew they were still alive somewhere and she wouldn't stop until they were back where they belonged.

For the next 3 hours, they quietly mapped, tracked, researched, looked up and sifted through every detail they could find until Bobby handed her a cold beer. She took it, running a hand over her burning eyes. Usually it was Sammy who spent hours hunched over books and reading until his eyes were crossed. She looked up to see Bobby staring at her.

"What?" She said, suddenly feeling self conscious.

"I just can't figure out why you're the chosen one. Why take the boys and leave you behind?" He asked. The question had obviously been plaguing him. Savannah sighed, remembering the thirst in Annaleigh's eyes.

"Love." She said simply, watching Bobby's eyes narrow.

"What? The hell does that mean?"

"Because I love the boys. They feed on emotions, Bobby. Fear, sadness, anger and apparently love is quiet the delicacy to them." She explained, leaving out the bit about loving Dean. Bobby just nodded, sipping once again on his beer.

"I'm gonna call Ellen again and see if she's found anything." Savannah said, dialing the number to the Roadhouse. Ellen's sweet voice danced through the receiver.

"Harvelle's Roadhouse."

"Hey, Ellen. It's Vannie." Savannah answered hopefully.

"Hi, sweetie. How ya feeling? Ya had us all pretty worried there for a little bit." She said, the motherly concern seeping in her voice. Savannah smiled slightly.

"I'd be better if I could find my boys. Ya heard anything?" She asked, trying not to sound eager. She could hear the faint chatter of a bar in the background as Ellen paused.

"Sorry Hun, wish I had. I've put the word out to everyone I know around here. But you make sure you take a rest every now and again, ya hear?" She chided gently. Savannah agreed, and hung up. Her hopes as well as her patience was sinking with every dead end they'd come to. It was taking too long and she wasn't sure how much time the boys had left. Demons sure as hell weren't going to wait around for her to save the day. She just hoped the boys could hold out for a little longer. Their GPS signals were a no go, seeing as Azazel had probably snapped their phones like twigs. There was no mention of either of them on the FBI database or on any other database she'd looked at. They were ghosts in the wind right now and it was going to take a miracle to find them. Savannah had never really believed in God, in her line of work it was kind of hard to. But she closed her eyes and prayed, hard for something to help her boys come home. Her shaky prayers were interrupted by Bobby's phone as it rang to life.

"Hey, Bill. Well I'll be damned. I owe ya one, Bill. Yeah, we'll get 'em back alright." Bobby's whole demeanor shifted as he put the phone down. His tired eyes were now hopeful and shining as he looked at her.

"Looks like we're in business." And Savannah wondered, for just a second if maybe there was such a thing as miracles.


	29. Over the Hills and Far Away

**A/N: So, so, SOOOO sorry it's been forever. My computer's been on the fritz so I haven't had a way to update! I promise the next chapter is on it's way! As always, enjoy!**

**Chapter 29: Over the Hills and Far Away**

Every minute felt like an hour as the Impala flew down the highway. Savannah hadn't slowed down one bit since Bobby's friend had called with what sounded like major demonic signs. Mass possessions, electrical storms, the works. Bobby gave her another uneasy look at the speedometer crept past 95.

"You mind slowin' down there, speed racer?" He asked, grimacing as Savannah floored it past a minivan toting two very bored looking teenagers.

"The sooner we get there, the sooner we can find them." She said, her eyes unwavering on the road ahead of her. Bobby was probably regretting letting her drive.

"That's if we don't flip the damn car first." He muttered and Savannah heard a touch of uneasiness in his voice. Savannah smirked as she noticed his firm grasp on the door handle. She watched the lines on the road as they blurred together, wondering just how much longer it would be before everything was okay again. Before her family, or what fragments were left of it, was together again. Before she could finally breathe again. It had only been 4 days since Sam and Dean had been ripped violently from her, but it felt like a lifetime.

"Take the next left." Bobby announced as the sailed past the sign displaying "Tickfaw City Limits". Savannah did as directed, turning down a dirt road she almost didn't see. She cringed, mentally promising to wash and wax the Impala next time she had the chance. They followed it in uneasy silence for a few minutes before Savannah shifted her glance towards Bobby.

"So who is this guy anyways?" She saw a smile pull at the edge of Bobby's lips.

"Bill is a buddy of mine from way back when. Helped him take out a pretty nasty vamp nest. Haven't seen him in years." She smiled as Bobby's eyes clouded with memories she almost didn't want to ask about. She couldn't imagine looking back on hunting with fondness. Most of the time she was sleep deprived, hung over and constantly looking over her shoulder for the monsters that seemed to be lining up for them these days.

She knew this wasn't the life her father had wanted, he'd told her that thousands of times. He wanted better for her. He wanted her to go to school and get a boring job in accounting or management. She was supposed to settle down and have kids. Her father wanted her to be happy, but most of all to be safe. But safe was never in the list of Savannah's distinguishing traits. It wasn't in her blood to sit around and life the norm. She was practically born with hunting in her blood and sometimes she swore she only loved it so much because it made her feel closer to her father.

"This is it." Bobby said, pointing to a run down shack tucked into a nestle of trees. Savannah pulled up next to a run down pickup and killed the engine. She inhaled, trying to ward off the impatience that was brimming in her. A crooked man shuffled out, a coffee cup of something Savannah suspected wasn't really coffee in his hand. Bobby hopped out of the car with an air of boyish excitement.

"Bill! How the hell are ya?" He said, cracking a smile Savannah hadn't seen in quite some time. She eased out of the car behind him and waited quietly while they exchanged the usual smartassery that comes with seeing an old friend. She drank up the peacefulness of the forest around her, listening to the birds as they sang away happily in the trees. If they ever settled down, the woods wouldn't be such a bad place, she thought as she heard her name.

"Bill, this is Vannie. Adam Miller's daughter." He introduced her and Savannah swore she caught a hint of pride on his face. Bill adjusted his coke bottle glasses as he took her in for a second.

"I'm so sorry about your dad. He was a damn good hunter." Bill said sadly as he shook her hand. Savannah smiled and gave the usual thanks. She'd heard that line more than she cared for, but it always made her proud regardless.

"Come in, come in!" Bill said with a wave of his hand. Savannah followed Bobby into the house, taking in the clutter of a man who spent too much time alone. The walls were covered in maps, notes scribbled haphazardly on top of each other. There were books, scraps of paper, pictures of monsters straight out of your worst nightmares. Shoved in a corner was a bin of journals she was sure were full of ramblings from a hunter who had seen too much to stay sane. Bill shuffled papers around, making room on his beat up couch that doubled as a bed most nights from the looks of it.

"When you called, I was already tracking some weird stuff around Baton Rouge." He told them, pulling out a map marked in red marker. He pointed to just south of the city, where most of the marks were.

"This is where the most activity has been. I'm talking 10 possessions a day, missing persons cases have skyrocketed in the last month. I mean from one or two a year to 15 in the last 2 weeks." He spouted, taking another sip from his mystery cup.

"You said something about electrical storms?" Bobby said, as Bill disappeared into the kitchen.

"Hail, lightening, we've had trees completely uprooted from the ground." Bill informed them as he reappeared, handing them both a beer. Savannah took a sip, noting the distinct taste of holy water. She resisted a smile at the trick Bobby was known for.

"Can you pinpoint it? Where it's all happening?" Savannah asked, taking another sip of her beer. Bill pointed to the map with a gnarled finger.

"Route 991. There's plenty of abandoned farms along this stretch. Seems that's where they are." He said as Savannah gave Bobby an impatient look.

"Then what the hell are we waiting for?" She exclaimed, hopping from the worn couch.

"Just wait a minute here, Van. These aren't just any monsters we're dealing with here. These are class A demons." Bobby objected, laying a hand on her shoulder.

"I know. Which is why we should gank those sorry assholes and get my boys back!" She said, excitement clouding her judgment. She didn't understand why Bobby was so hesitant. He loved Sam and Dean too and now he wanted to just wait around some more? They didn't have time to be debating this.

"Listen, I know you're rearin' to go, but do you think we're really just gonna waltz in without a hitch? They'll be expecting us. Hell, they're probably counting on it." Bobby reasoned gently. Savannah looked at the man who had practically raised her.

"We don't have time for a plan Bobby! They're running out of time here!" She argued with him.

"The last time we ran in gun blazing everything went to hell. I'm not about to lose you too!" He hollered, making any anger Savannah had disappear. It was clear to her now that Bobby wasn't worried about the demons. He was worried about her. He was already two kids down and the third was about to go running right into what he'd been trying to protect them from. It hadn't occurred to her up until now that Bobby Singer could be scared. She had seen a lot of emotions in his face, but fear had never been one of them. Until now.

"There's got to be a better way then this, Van." Bobby sighed, shifting the beat up hat on his head.

"Azazel is powerful. He knows you'll come for them. You have to see that, Savannah. I know Adam didn't raise an idiot." Bill chimed in. Savannah sat back down, taking her head in her hands. She stared at the stained carpet, searching her brain for a way to get to Sam and Dean. She heard Bobby and Bill make their way outside, no doubt giving her time to calm her nerves. Her rattled brain flashed pictures of the boys, stretched out while Azazel tore into their skin. She closed her eyes, wiping a tear that was falling down her nose. She sniffled, wiping her nose on her sleeve. Come hell or high water, she was getting her boys back. She would fight for the one thing in her life that was worth fighting for, worth dying for.

She watched Bill and Bobby through the window before going out to join them. Bobby's face rang with laughter as he swapped stories with Bill about the good old days. She leaned on the Impala, draining the last of her beer. She already knew Bobby's reaction to her next few words.

"Use me as bait." She said firmly, watching the shock flash through Bobby's eyes.

"Excuse me?" He asked, any trace of joy had vanished.

"Use me as bait. You said yourself they'll expect me to come. But they won't expect you." She pointed out, holding her breath for the explosion she knew was coming.

"Are you stupid?! You expect me to just let you stroll into a demonic free-for-all and be _okay_ with it?" He burst angrily. She watched Bill scuttle into the house, knowing better then to get involved in this battle of wills.

"What other plan do we have Bobby? _We're running out of time._ It's the only plan I can think of unless you've got a better one?" She argued as her phone rang to life. She looked at her phone angrily before flipping it open. She sure as hell wasn't finished with Bobby.

"Hello?" She snapped, wondering who the hell was interrupting their argument.

"Savannah?" The voice on the other end stopped her dead in her tracks.

"It's me, Van. It's Dean."


End file.
